Forget Joe Biden and Donald Trump - is Noah Lyles the man who can make America great again? Despite being viewed as a powerhouse in men’s sprinting, it’s actually been two decades since the United States earned a men’s sprinting gold medal at the Olympic Games . Justin Gatlin and Fred Kerley have come close in the 100m, while Shawn Crawford and Kenneth Bednarek have taken silver medals from the 200m, but a place at the top of the podium has eluded all of them. There is now renewed hope in the form of Lyles , a sprinter whose talent, charisma, and determination have drawn comparisons to the legendary Usain Bolt .
As the world watches and waits, Lyles stands poised to break the 20-year gold medal drought for Team USA and perhaps carve out a legacy of his own. The United States has a storied history in track and field, particularly in sprinting. Names like Jesse Owens , Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson are etched into the annals of Olympic history, each from a period when American sprinters were nearly unbeatable.
But the last time an American man stood atop the podium after an Olympic 100m or 200m final was at Athens 2004. Gatlin claimed gold in the 100m, while Crawford triumphed over the longer distance. After that, Bolt completely dominated men’s sprinting, winning both the 100m and 200m at three successive Olympic Games.
The Jamaican’s record-shattering performances and irrepressible personality transformed him into a global icon, leaving little room for American spr.
