The excitement in the air was palpable as Alexandria welcomed back Noah Lyles, its hometown hero! The excitement was palpable as more than a thousand spectators crowded Alexandria City High School to welcome back the Olympic gold medallist. Although it was a happy occasion, Noah missed his former mentor, who was a major factor in his accomplishments.
After winning gold in the 100-meter race in the Olympics in Paris this summer, Noah Lyles made headlines as the fastest man alive! He was given a magnificent parade around Chinquapin Circle today, and the neighborhood turned out in full force to support their hometown hero. The roar of the spectators was intense as Noah’s automobile made its way through the crowd, and they were all lining the circle, humming with excitement!
Feeling overwhelmed by the love and encouragement, Noah posted a message of thanks on Instagram on September 20th, saying, “Thank you so much @alexandriavagov! Even though it was last-minute, I appreciate that so many of you were there today! Feeling grateful for the emotions it evoked, he said, “I can’t thank you all enough for also giving us time to honor my coach, Rashawn Jackson.” He captured the event so wonderfully. RIP.
Rashawn Jackson, Noah Lyles’s cherished coach, hasn’t been there for him this time. Emotions ran high after the American sprinter’s exciting gold medal victory in Paris, where he narrowly defeated Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by 0.005 seconds. After the race, Lyles made care to honor Jackson, who passed away earlier this summer, in an interview.
When Lyles reflected on the past, he recalled a conversation where Jackson encouraged him to excel in both 100-meter and 200-meter races. During that period in his life, he had doubts about it. As time went on, he managed to validate his beliefs whenever he competed on the track. However, following Jackson’s death, Lyles was emotionally shattered.
Jackson played a huge role in shaping Noah Lyles into the sprinter he has become today. He was the one who mentored him during his time at Alexandria City High School. Unfortunately, he passed away this year in July, just before the Noah Lyles showdown in the Paris Olympics. But it was something that remained in Lyles’s heart, so at that time he honored him by praising him on social media. Lyles shared, “It’s an amazing moment, I don’t think it’s completely sunk in, to be honest.”
But even after the Paris Olympics victory, Lyles couldn’t hold back tears, admitting, “I thought he was going to be here to see it, I’m going to be honest.” He further added, “Hey coach, we did it. We reached the top! I always thought you would be here to see me reach the peak. I guess you’ll have to know you’re watching from heaven… I love you, man. RIP.”
Lyles has always praised him, as he was looking out for his well-being and offering the direction that influenced his journey positively. One of his victories to remember is back in 2015—a 200-meter race completed in 22.83 seconds, where he set a record at the competition. But for that, credit goes to Jackson.
During the Pan American Junior Championships held in Edmonton, Lyles secured a gold medal in the 200-meter event and took home the silver in the 100-meter race. Jackson clearly had an impact on Lyles’s life beyond his accomplishments. He also played a crucial role in his personal growth and development overall.
