Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill may finally be seeing eye-to-eye. After days of exchanging words over a potential sprint face-off, the American sprinter appears to be open to negotiating with the NFL star. While Lyles is known for his fierce competitiveness on the track, he values showing humanity off the track. So, has he set aside their differences? Let’s explore further.
Lyles recently spoke with Stan Verrett from ESPN, who brought up the much-talked-about race between Lyles and Hill, asking about its current status. This was particularly relevant given that Lyles had initially criticized Hill as “clout chasing” but later showed support for Hill following an incident in South Florida. When asked if the sprint duel was still something he took seriously, Lyles responded, “Yeah, I mean the two scenarios are different, you know. One has to do with being human. And the other one has to do with sports…” He clearly separated the two issues but added, “In terms of running a race, you know… look man…you got to be serious. Everybody wants to jump up to the top. Everybody wants to race the fastest man…”
Verrett then suggested a scenario: if Hill raced against another runner who Lyles respects and won, would that qualify Hill to race against him? Lyles firmly replied, “No, you go to the next person then!” This response led to laughter in the Sports Center studio.
The host continued, probing whether there were multiple levels Hill would need to pass before getting to race Lyles. The Florida native clarified, “Well, I will say we can’t run the 100!” When reminded that Hill proposed a 50-yard race, Lyles countered with, “We could do sixty!” and when asked to confirm, he admitted, “We’re in talks.”
It seems Lyles has opened up the possibility of negotiating the race’s distance. Previously, in an appearance on the Dan Patrick show, Lyles had indicated he was open to adjustments but dismissed any event measured in “yards.” Now, he appears willing to consider a 60-yard race, a shift that follows his recent show of support for Hill after the latter’s arrest.
Tyreek Hill recently faced controversy when he was detained for speeding, resulting in his arrest. As footage of the incident surfaced, Lyles expressed his anger, calling the situation “disgusting.” Lyles praised Hill’s remarks during his post-game interview and raised concerns about how similar situations might escalate if the individual involved wasn’t a well-known athlete.
Despite these tensions, former athlete Michael Johnson has fueled the idea of the Lyles-Hill sprint duel taking place at the Grand Slam Track. With negotiations on distance now underway, could this race actually happen? Many are eager to see how this potential showdown unfolds.
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