"Very challenging year" - Noah Lyles shares his take after losing 100m title to Oblique Seville and settling for bronze at 2025 World Championships

Noah Lyles reacted after settling for bronze in the 100m, behind Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson, at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. He also expressed excitement for his favorite event, the 200m, in which he's the third-fastest of all time.

Noah Lyles was a dominant force at the 2023 World Championships, winning both the 100m and 200m, and anchoring the 4x100m relay team to victory. His third 200m world title placed him ahead of Michael Johnson and Calvin Smith, with only Usain Bolt, who holds four, remaining above him. At the Paris Olympics, Lyles added his maiden 100m gold to his wall of fame, but due to deteriorating health, he managed only a bronze in the 200m.

The beginning of 2025 was marred by a tendon injury from a 'freak accident', leaving him sidelined in a couple of races. He competed in some Diamond League meets, trailing Seville in most, and that repeated at this year's Worlds as well.

Despite winning his heat to kick off his Tokyo campaign, Noah Lyles fell short in the final, earning a bronze medal while his biggest rivals, Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson, took gold and silver, respectively. Reflecting on the race, the 28-year-old shared that he holds no hard feelings and is instead excited for the upcoming 200m.

"I Got Nothing But The Joy of the Lord in my heart. It has been a very challenging year. Being able to give my all on the race that meant the most is all I can ask for. Next is the 200m my favorite," he wrote on X.

Lyles missed the Atlanta City Games at the beginning of the season but won the 200m Monaco Diamond League. He then trailed Seville in the 100m in London.

Noah Lyles had opinions about 100m champion Oblique Seville after his heats at the 2025 World Championships

Lyles and Seville at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 - (Source: Getty)

Oblique Seville had a slow start in the 100m heats, as he marked the slowest reaction time out of eight runners in his line-up. Lyles, on the other hand, clocked 9.92s to top the heats, booking his spot in the semifinals. Sharing his take on Seville's late reaction time, Noah Lyles revealed that he knew Seville's fate as he saw him panicking at the back.

"Yeah, I knew that was gonna happen. That man was panicking in the back. But hey, he’s a gamer, so hopefully he’ll get it back, and now we’ll have a great final," he said. (via NBC)

Kishane Thompson, who finished just five-thousandths of a second behind Lyles in the 100m Paris finals, avenged his loss in the Worlds this year.

Edited by Agnijeeta Majumder