Where is Noah Lyles from? Hometown, high school and more to know about Virginia roots

The world has a new fastest man, and he comes from the United States.

Noah Lyles' victory in the 100-meter final by the smallest of margins in Paris propelled him into the international spotlight and made him the USA's first Olympic winner of the event in two decades.

For Lyles, the win was what he had been expecting all along. Even as he posted a pair of second-place finishes in the preliminary rounds of the 100-meter, Lyles kept his confidence high and insisted he wouldn't be beaten when the lights shined the brightest. He started out behind the rest of the pack in the final, but in the end, it was the Star-Spangled Banner that played when the medal ceremony took place.

Here's what you need to know about Lyles' upbringing in the U.S., including his birthplace and high school.

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Where is Noah Lyles from?

Lyles was born in Gainesville, Fla., but he was raised in Alexandria, Va. after he and his siblings moved to Virginia following their parents' divorce.

Alexandria is just south of Washington D.C. and has close ties to the colonial era, as it was founded in 1749.

The north Virginia region was proud of Lyles after his 100-meter win, with his uncle watching the race at an Alexandria restaurant. Another area restaurant actually added a burger in Lyles' name to its menu to celebrate the gold medal.

The Washington D.C. area can claim more Olympic medals than the vast majority of countries from these Summer Games. Not only is Lyles from the region, but swimmer Torri Huske is from neighboring Arlington, Va. and the legendary Katie Ledecky grew up in Bethesda, Md.

Huske and Ledecky combined for nine swimming medals in Paris, while Lyles has one medal and is expecting a second in the 200-meter. Lyles figures to get a hero's welcome when he returns from Paris, regardless of how the 200-meter final turns out.

Noah Lyles high school

Lyles attended Alexandria City High School, which was known as T.C. Williams High School at the time.

If the T.C. Williams name sounds familiar, it's because the famous football film "Remember The Titans" is based on the true story of the school's 1971 football team.

Lyles first took steps toward stardom during his time in high school, winning a medal at the World Youth Championships when he was just 15 and the Youth Olympic Games when he was 17.

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Did Noah Lyles go to college?

Lyles did not go to college, but he interestingly would have gone back to Gainesville if he followed through with a college career. Lyles committed to the University of Florida, setting up a potential homecoming, but he instead turned professional in 2016.

That commitment paid off, as Lyles first won gold at the World Championships in 2019, winning the 200-meter, and he earned a trip to Tokyo for the Summer Olympics ahead of the delayed 2020 games. Lyles would win bronze in the 200-meter in Tokyo.

Lyles only grew more confident in the three years between Tokyo and Paris, and he validated every bit of that confidence by winning the 100-meter final on Sunday. The 200-meter is believed to be an even easier path to gold for Lyles, though he knows now not to underestimate the competition.