"America, I told you. I got this!"
Noah Lyles' message after winning the men's 100-meter final at the Paris Olympics was simple, yet said so much. Lyles became the first American man to win gold in the men's 100-meter in 20 years, doing so in dramatic fashion, winning the final race by less than one-hundredth of a second.
In the immediate aftermath of his win, Lyles shared his message with the world before finding his family in the stands to continue the celebration. His mother's reaction to the victory resulted in a moment as special as her son's triumph.
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Noah Lyles' mom reacts to son's photo-finish win
While celebrations continued and awe from the event set in among all in attendance, Lyles made his way to his mother in the stands, with whom he shared a special moment. There's no questioning the pride his mother felt at that moment.
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As Lyles and his mother shared an embrace, she reaffirmed the moment's gravity by telling Lyles "You did it!" as the two were moved to tears of joy. Even more moving was his mother repeatedly saying how proud she was of him for his accomplishment.
It was a whirlwind of emotion in a short period, as Lyles triumphantly won the men's 100-meter final in one of the closest recorded finishes.
As indicated by his initial message, Lyles' win allowed him to make good on promises and guarantees he had made in the lead-up to the Olympic games.
Over the past year, Lyles has become one of the most well-known figures in USA track, standing out with his one-of-a-kind personality and heightened confidence.
While he has more events to compete in at the Paris games, most will look back at Lyles' time in Paris and remember the special moment he shared with his mother and the level of pride she displayed in her son.
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