Noah Lyles, the reigning world champion, had one goal leading up to the Paris Olympics: to redeem himself after a third-place finish in Tokyo. He achieved that by winning gold in the 100m with a time of 9.79 seconds, narrowly beating Kishane Thompson. However, he fell short in the 200m finals, finishing with a bronze as Letsile Tebogo of Botswana set an African record of 19.46 seconds to claim gold. Despite his mixed performance, Lyles’ hometown of Alexandria celebrated his return with a parade on September 22. The sprinter, who graduated from Alexandria City High School in 2016, shared glimpses of the event on social media. Riding in a convertible, Lyles led the procession as the high school band played.
The city’s mayor, Justin Wilson, honored Lyles with a proclamation at the high school gym, praising his accomplishments and use of his platform. Lyles expressed his gratitude for the support of his hometown, emphasizing how special it was to have that backing. While the event saw over a thousand fans and journalists, some noted the celebration lacked the grandeur expected for such achievements, especially compared to the large-scale celebration held for Tebogo in Botswana. Despite this, Lyles seemed to enjoy the moment and appreciated the efforts made in his honor.
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