American sprint superstar Noah Lyles kicked off his outdoor season with a bold experiment, trading his usual explosive short sprints for a grueling one-lap test at the Tom Jones Memorial meet in Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday, April 19.
The reigning Olympic 100m champion clocked a personal best of 45.87 seconds in his professional 400m debut but settled for a 14th-place finish in a stacked field of 26.
Although his 45.87 marked progress from his 47.04 high school best, the race revealed the 400m’s brutal challenge. Lyles’ foray into the 400m came with high anticipation. Fans and analysts wondered if his elite sprint speed could sustain a full lap and signal strategy for Tokyo 2025 Championships.
The race was ultimately won by Christopher Robinson, who stopped the clock at 44.15 seconds.
Lyles had hyped his debut with an enthusiastic pre-race tweet.
“Today will be my first pro 400m! PR or Bust!”
That spirit of determination resonated with fans, even as the outcome didn’t meet his own lofty expectations. But shaving more than a second off his last 400m time set in 2016 is no small feat. It shows that the 26-year-old sprinter is still evolving, still pushing limits, and not content with past glories.
In high school, he ran the event before going pro in the 100m and 200m. Since then, he’s earned Olympic 100m gold, 200m bronze, three world titles, and global fame as a dominant, entertaining sprinter.
With the World Championships approaching, Lyles aims to defend his 200m title, while his 400m run hints at surprises.