Lyles in '16 became one of the first U.S. male sprinters to go pro straight out of high school getty images
U.S. sprinter Noah Lyles and his "eclectic socks, creative victory celebrations and Renaissance Man interests are sure to make him the breakout star" of the '20 Tokyo Games, according to Nancy Armour of USA TODAY. Lyles was one of the "first male sprinters to go pro out of high school" and signed with Adidas in July '16. Lyles, like Usain Bolt, is a "natural showman, and he knows his oversized personality could do wonders for a sport that struggles for attention in the U.S. between Olympics." Lyles is a "huge Star Wars fan," and he "made sure everyone realized the significance" of last year's Diamond League race in Doha, Qatar, being held on May 4. He "wore R2D2 socks, and swung an imaginary lightsaber to celebrate his win" in the 200 meters. He has also done "dances from the online video game Fortnite at the finish line, and revved up the crowd before races by calling for a 'spirit bomb' from the Japanese TV series Dragon Ball Z." His sock game is "so strong -- he’s featured, among others, Sonic the Hedgehog, the Power Rangers and The Incredibles -- that fans now ask for previews." Lyles: "I’m having fun, and I enjoy people seeing that. And I know that track and field isn’t the most popular thing in the United States, but I want to make it bigger. One way to do that is to make sure people are entertained" (USATODAY.com, 4/17).
