Olympics 100m champion Noah Lyles is set to host a rally event to celebrate his stellar achievements at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The rally will take place on Sunday, September 22, 2024, from 3:00pm to 4:00 pm (GMT-4) at the Alexandria City High School Gymnasium, located at 3330 King Street, adjacent to the Chinquapin Park Recreation Center in Alexandria, Virginia.
Lyles, who won gold in the 100-meter race and secured a bronze medal in the 200-meter event at the Olympics, will be honored at the event.
The rally is expected to draw support from local residents, fans, and dignitaries alike.
Special appearances will be made by the Lyles Brothers Sports Foundation, the Alexandria City High School Band, members of the City Council, and representatives from Alexandria City Public Schools.
The event will also feature Lyles himself, who has been vocal about the lack of recognition American Olympians often face upon returning home.
The star sprinter has urged attendees to dress in red, white, and blue and to bring their loudest cheers to celebrate his remarkable accomplishments on the world stage.
Reflecting on his Olympic return, Lyles has previously expressed disappointment over the muted reception he received compared to athletes from other countries.
“Unlike these other countries that celebrate their athletes on such a humongous stage. When Tebogo won his gold medal, he went back to a stadium filled with 30,000 people celebrating,” Lyles shared in a candid interview with Shannon Sharpe, referencing Botswana’s 200m Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo, who was welcomed home with a stadium full of fans.
Lyles’ remarks come in the wake of his return to the U.S., where he expected more enthusiasm for his achievements.
He described a somewhat underwhelming reception, explaining that while some people did recognize him when he arrived back in the country, it lacked the grandeur he witnessed abroad.
“When I showed back home on my flight, of course, some people recognized me and I’m very thankful for that, but there was no 30,000 people, there was no Melo driver ready to take me home, there was no bus waiting,” Lyles lamented.
This frustration is not new for Lyles, who has previously criticized the United States for not adequately celebrating its track and field champions.
He has also raised eyebrows by taking aim at the U.S. culture surrounding sports, particularly in his comments about NBA players being labeled “world champions,” a term he believes should be reserved for athletes who win on the global stage, like Olympians.
“The U.S. isn’t crazy about track and field the way other countries are. Europe, Africa—they really celebrate their champions. Here, it feels like we don’t get that same level of excitement,” Lyles added.
Despite these challenges, the rally in Alexandria represents a chance for his hometown to show their support and appreciation.
The gymnasium is expected to fill with fans and well-wishers eager to celebrate one of the most successful athletes to come out of the area in recent years.
