Blow for Lyles: Olympic champion ends season just before Budapest

Noah Lyles will not compete in Budapest next weekend after renewed injury problems brought his 2026 season to an early end. The American Olympic 100-meter champion announced the decision on Instagram.

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Unfortunately, I have to share some less pleasant news with you. My coach and I have decided to end the 2026 season.

“Unfortunately, I have to share some less pleasant news with you. My coach and I have decided to end the 2026 season,” Lyles wrote. The withdrawal rules him out of the first World Athletics Ultimate Championship, but he still plans to travel to Budapest in a different role. He had previously helped promote and shape the event.

Lyles had been in excellent form in July. At the U.S. championships in New York, he won the 100 meters in 9.79 seconds, equaling his personal record and setting the world’s fastest time of the season at that point.

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The situation was quite complicated. We thought everything would be simple. After the U.S. championships, we found that it was a minor muscle injury and rehabilitation initially went very well.

Problems emerged at the end of the same championships. Lyles slowed sharply in the 200-meter final and initially said a cramp in his hamstring had stopped him. Later examinations found a minor muscle injury. Rehabilitation began well, he said, but further complications appeared and worsened other problems, making it difficult to continue training.

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The injury caused some other problems to reappear or worsen. Because of that, it was difficult for me to continue training, so we decided to end the season.

Lyles said the decision focused on the next two seasons. The 2027 World Championships will take place in Beijing, followed a year later by the Los Angeles Olympics, a major home target for the American. Lyles is a four-time world champion over 200 meters and an Olympic champion over 100 meters.

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I am preparing for 2027 and 2028, which will be extremely important for me.