Even though he won big at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles still has a steady amount of critics popping out from nowhere. The latest to come out of the woodwork is Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin when he revealed how much he disliked the sprinter.
Just recently, Lyles won the Olympic men’s 100m gold medal in a dramatic and record-breaking race at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He crossed the finish line in 9.79 seconds, edging out Kishane Thompson of Jamaica by a mere five-thousandths of a second. This was the closest Olympic 100m final in modern history.
Lyles, the reigning world champion, held off a talented field that included defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy and fellow American Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion. Thompson, the fastest man in the world this year, led for most of the race but couldn’t hold off his opponent’s late charge.
After a tense buildup with an electric atmosphere in the Stade de France, the sprinters left the track to be individually introduced before taking their marks. The final was a nail-biting affair, with the winner only confirmed after a photo finish. Lyles expressed his relief at finally winning the coveted 100m Olympic title, which had eluded him in Tokyo 2020. Kerley took bronze, while Jacobs could only manage fifth place in the thrilling conclusion to the marquee track event in Paris.
Indianapolis Colts’ Zaire Franklin Blasts Olympic Gold Medal Winner Noah Lyles
Similar to Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker, Franklin has a rather adverse opinion of Lyles. In a post he shared on his official X account, the Colts star revealed what he truly thought of the Olympian.
“Noah Lyles is my least favorite American. Good morning,” Franklin tweeted.
Around a year ago, the Olympian stirred up controversy when he criticized the NBA’s use of the “world champion” title. Lyles argued that track and field events like the World Championships represent true global competition, unlike the NBA’s predominantly US-based league. NBA players responded back then, but Lyles had the last laugh, winning gold in the 100m at the 2024 Olympics.
It’s not yet known why Franklin revealed his perspective on Lyles or whether it was related to his take on world champions a year ago. In any case, it looks like the Olympian won’t run out of critics anytime soon.
