T.C. Williams, Va. senior Noah Lyles broke one of the most seemingly untouchable national records on Sunday, running 20.63 in the boys 200. After the race, he explained how his younger brother and fellow future Florida Gator Josephus fixed his start, and much more.
MileSplit: Talk to us about how the race went for you.
Noah Lyles: Race went great. This week, Josephus and me were just going over "Yo! Why isn't your start that great on the curve?" And I was just like--I don't know. So Josephus is like, "I'm gonna do some research, I'll come back to you." Thursday, he comes back, talks to my coach and says "Yo, get on the curves. On the start, you gotta hug the curves."
And we was like--that doesn't make sense. You're not trying to slingshot when you're starting, so why hug the curves?
In the trials, I got out great. When it was time to come back for the finals, I was ready. My body was ready, I was so hyped from the 4x2. We wanted that record, we was so close--but I was still hype. I was ready to GO!
I went to my chiropractor, my massage therapist just worked on me. And I just had the instinct to kill. The instinct in my mind [was] to kill.
When did you know you had it? You passed everyone in the first twenty-five meters; did you just get a great start and know it from the start?
Oh yeah, that start was definitely what I wanted. I knew Tyrese Cooper was in front of me, so I had to go. I was like, I'm catching him, that's who I need to catch if I want to break this record. Let's get him.
I got out. Once I caught him I was like, "It's over. I'm coming for everyone, that record is mine!"
When are you going to race Josephus again? He beat you twice in a row, I know that you don't like to lose to him. Could we even get Grant [Holloway] in a race with all three of you guys?
I mean, truthfully the only race you could get all three of us in would be the 200 at states. Grant does so many events. He's so tired by the 200, he'd be like "You guys have that one, [I'll] jog third." Truthfully, I don't think Josephus and me will be running any races. Really the only race would be--unless we get in some 200s during the districts, regionals, and states season, that's when we would race against each other.
And we was like--that doesn't make sense. You're not trying to slingshot when you're starting, so why hug the curves?
In the trials, I got out great. When it was time to come back for the finals, I was ready. My body was ready, I was so hyped from the 4x2. We wanted that record, we was so close--but I was still hype. I was ready to GO!
I went to my chiropractor, my massage therapist just worked on me. And I just had the instinct to kill. The instinct in my mind [was] to kill.
When did you know you had it? You passed everyone in the first twenty-five meters; did you just get a great start and know it from the start?
Oh yeah, that start was definitely what I wanted. I knew Tyrese Cooper was in front of me, so I had to go. I was like, I'm catching him, that's who I need to catch if I want to break this record. Let's get him.
I got out. Once I caught him I was like, "It's over. I'm coming for everyone, that record is mine!"
When are you going to race Josephus again? He beat you twice in a row, I know that you don't like to lose to him. Could we even get Grant [Holloway] in a race with all three of you guys?
I mean, truthfully the only race you could get all three of us in would be the 200 at states. Grant does so many events. He's so tired by the 200, he'd be like "You guys have that one, [I'll] jog third." Truthfully, I don't think Josephus and me will be running any races. Really the only race would be--unless we get in some 200s during the districts, regionals, and states season, that's when we would race against each other.
Watch a group interview with both Lyles brothers and Grant Holloway, future Florida teammates:
