Noah Lyles (via Getty Images) Noah Lyles, one of the fastest men on the planet, has revealed an unusual off-field hobby that has brought him surprising benefits. The reigning world champion sprinter shared his passion for the Japanese anime, especially the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game has unexpectedly worked in his favor during his travels.In an interview with WWD (Women’s Wear Daily), the Olympic champion explained that showing off his anime cards before races has sometimes led to hotel upgrades. Lyles joked that this special treatment came not from his athletic fame but from his shared love for anime with fans. His revelation showed a lighter side of the intense sprinter, who is renowned for his charisma and creativity on and off the track.
Noah Lyles shares his love for anime and Japanese card games
The 28-year-old American star has often expressed his admiration for Japanese culture. His fans remember his famous “Goku’s kamehameha” celebration from the Dragon Ball Z series after he won the gold in the men’s 200m at the World Championships. Speaking to the Women’s Wear Daily, Lyles said, “I’ve gotten hotel upgrades because of that. That’s for pulling out the ‘Blue-Eyes White Dragon’ [one of the most mythical cards in the game] and not because I’m a living champion.”Talking about his future plans, the 8-time world champion also hinted that he has several creative projects lined up for the future. However, he kept the details secret for now.“A lot of my ideas are very out of the box. And I just have to make sure that I can actually make them come true first before I start talking about them”, he said. On the track, Noah Lyles continues to dominate the sprinting scene. He kicked off the 2025 season by winning the 60m race at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix with a time of 6.52 seconds. Later, he also registered a stellar win in the men’s 200m final at the Diamond League in Zurich with a blazing 19.74 seconds.At the World Championships in Tokyo, Lyles earned bronze in the 100m. However, he quickly bounced back to win gold in both the men’s 200m and 4x100m relay. Next, the star runner will be eyeing a golden triple as he enters the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 as the reigning champion. Also Read: “Hater Of The Year” – Anthony Edwards Takes Savage Swipe At Noah Lyles On Instagram
AloJapan.com