"Knowing why you decide to climb in the first place" - Noah Lyles reveals what drives him ahead of World Championships title defense

American track and field athlete Noah Lyles has revealed what keeps him on track as he prepares to defend his titles at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Lyles is the defending world champion in both the 100m and the 200m events.

Ahead of the Championships, he shared what he is taking into the competition and what keeps him focused. For Lyles, the real finish line isn’t medals or records, it’s staying true to his “Why,” a purpose that he says will carry him into the World Championships.

“I'd say, remembering my Why would be the most important coming out of the Olympics, remembering why I'm doing this, why I'm chasing records, why I'm chasing times, why I'm chasing to be great. That is probably the most important thing, because you can win and then get to the top of the mountain and be like, ‘Well, what do I do now?’ So knowing why you decide to climb in the first place, I think, is the most important thing,” Noah Lyles said. (via Olympics)

Going into the 100m, Lyles will take on a competitive 100m field, including Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville. He has already lost to both this season and has yet to win a 100m title in 2025.

However, his chances look stronger in the 200m, where he will take on the likes of Letsile Tebogo, Kenny Bednarek, and Gout Gout. Both events promise high-stakes head-to-head battles in Tokyo.

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All about Noah Lyles’ 2025 season as he aims to defend his double title at the World Athletics Championships

Noah Lyles at Weltklasse Zürich, Wanda Diamond League Final. - Source: Getty

Noah Lyles, who made a late start to the season due to injury, made a strong comeback in the 200m at the Monaco Diamond League, clocking 19.88 s to narrowly defeat Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo. But in the 100m, Lyles faced stiff competition, finishing second to Jamaica's Kishane Thompson in Silesia and to Oblique Seville in Lausanne. At the Diamond League Final in Zurich, Lyles again edged out Tebogo by just 0.02s, with Tebogo matching his season-best time.

In the 100m, Noah Lyles’ season-best of 9.90s at Silesia wasn’t enough to crack the top five. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson holds the world lead with 9.75s, followed by Kenny Bednarek at 9.79s. Also in the top five are Bryan Levell, Courtney Lindsey, and Oblique Seville. Notably, in the 200m, Lyles tops the 2025 world list with the 19.63s he ran at the U.S. Nationals.