Noah Lyles was quick to dedicate his Olympic gold medal to his late coach Rashawn Jackson after winning the 100m final. The American snatched the gold medal from Jamaica's Kishane Thompson on Sunday night by just 0.005 seconds following a dramatic surge.
His victory adds to the bronze medal he earned at Tokyo 2020 in the 200m, another event in which he aims to claim gold. In an interview following the epic race, the 27-year-old paid tribute to Jackson, who passed away earlier this summer.
Overcome with emotion, Lyles acknowledged the significant role Jackson played in shaping his career, having coached him at Alexandria City High School.
Following Jackson's death in July, Lyles penned a heartfelt social media post. Speaking after his 100m triumph, he struggled to contain his emotions. "It's an amazing moment, I don't think it's completely sunk in to be honest," Lyles told reporters.
"I have so many homes, and Alexandria [city in Virginia] is definitely one of them, Charlotte, North Carolina, Orlando, Florida, Clermont, Gainesville [both Florida]. There's so many places that I have ties to, and my coach, Rashawn Jackson, he recently died.
"I remember when I was running on the back stretch and I was like, 'This one is for you, man.'" At that point, Lyles could be heard breaking down. Through apparent tears, he continued: "I thought he was going to be here to see it, I'm going to be honest."
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