"I need time to truly get my feelings together" - Noah Lyles on being named World Athlete of the Year 2023 for Men's track

Noah Lyles, the sprinter who has reinvented track and field, put the finishing touches of perfection to an already sublime season when he won the World Athlete of the Year for track events on Monday night.

The 26-year-old was undoubtedly deserving of his win, having continued his unbeaten streak in 200m from 2022. Lyles' season included clinching the revered treble at the World Championships, a feat only four people prior to him have achieved.

His win in the 100m sprint saw him clock a new personal best of 9.83, while his defense of his 200m crown made him only the second person after Usain Bolt to win three or more successive gold medals in the event. Next, he anchored the US 4x100m to the win for his third and last gold in Budapest.

The American had been a nominee for the World Athlete of the Year in 2022 as well, but lost out to Swede Mondo Duplantis, an incident which he referred to in his acceptance speech as having motivated him to win the 100m in Budapest.

Post the awards night in Monaco, Noah Lyles took to X (formerly Twitter), to share with fans his sentiments on having finally laid claim on the accolade.

He wrote:

"Idk what to say… There is so much I want to say and so much Ik I shouldn’t say. I need time to truly get my feelings together before I start speaking on what happened tonight."

"I will say congratulations to everyone who won tonight! You are all amazing athletes and have done so many great things this season! I will see you all in 2024," he added.

Noah Lyles: Track and Field's blockbuster star

Alongside proving his dominance on track, Noah Lyles has attracted dozens of fans across the world for his outrageous celebrations after wins and by voicing his most controversial opinions.

The sprinter has often been vocal about the changes required to track and field to propel it to the forefront of the sporting world, and has worked on bringing in a few changes himself.

Most recently, Lyles has been organizing "walk-ins" before race meets, inspired by the world of NFL and NBA. The walk-ins include various track stars ditching their sprinting outfits for designer fits, and have been met with much enthusiasm from athletes and fans alike.