In 2024, Noah Lyles is widely known as the reigning 100m Olympic champion, making him the fastest man in the world. Beyond his athletic prowess, Lyles has gained fame off the track, appearing on the runway during New York Fashion Week. His celebrity status extends internationally, even in Jamaica, where his name is well-recognized despite the country’s long-standing track and field rivalry with the U.S.
Recently, a humorous mix-up involving Lyles had the track and field community laughing. Jaydon Hibbert, a 19-year-old Jamaican long jumper who debuted at the Paris Olympics, shared a clip from Jamaica’s Junior Schools Challenge Quiz on X (formerly Twitter). In the clip, a student was asked to identify a person shown on the screen, and despite the athlete wearing a Jamaican flag and tracksuit, the student incorrectly identified him as Noah Lyles. The actual person in the image was Hibbert.
Hibbert found the mix-up amusing and posted it online with a humorous caption, expressing mock disappointment that the student confused him with Lyles despite all the Jamaican indicators. Noah Lyles noticed Hibbert’s post and jokingly apologized, stating that the student had seen the Jamaican letters but still confidently answered “Noah Lyles.” Hibbert responded with laughter.
The image shown during the quiz was from Hibbert’s performance at the World Athletics U20 Championships in 2022, where he won the triple jump title and set a new championship record. This moment highlighted Hibbert’s growing reputation as a top athlete, though some fans found it amusing that he was mistaken for Lyles.
Fans on social media also got in on the fun, with one commenting that the confusion showed how popular Noah Lyles has become, even in Jamaica. Another fan humorously suggested that Lyles’ connection to Jamaica might be due to his relationship with Junelle Bromfield, a Jamaican athlete, referencing a time when Lyles wore a Team Jamaica jersey during a press conference. Some speculated that the mix-up occurred because both athletes had dyed hair, a style that Lyles is known for.
Others pointed to the ongoing rivalry between American and Jamaican sprinters, particularly after Lyles narrowly beat Jamaican runner Kishane Thompson to win gold in Paris. A fan cheekily remarked that being the fastest man might have caused the students to overlook Lyles’ nationality, assuming the title of Olympic champion belonged to a Jamaican.
Despite the rivalry, the incident highlighted Noah Lyles’ global fame and ability to capture the attention of both fans and athletes alike, even in countries deeply rooted in track and field competition like Jamaica.
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