Noah Lyles says he has ‘way more to give’ on his quest to become the fastest man in history

Noah Lyles is not a man short on confidence.

Having won three world championship titles last year, the American sprinter has since laid out grand plans for his career, even setting his sights on Usain Bolt’s records in the 100 and 200 meters.

“He was the fastest man ever to do it,” says Lyles, before adding with a grin, “and soon, it’ll be me.”

Some would call this hubris, others the swagger of a top athlete entering his prime in an Olympic year. Lyles has emerged as a star of the track and field world in recent years, a likeable figure who isn’t afraid to talk up his chances at big races.

And with the Paris Games on the horizon, the 26-year-old has cast his net wide. Historically a 200m specialist, he won his first world championship title over 100m last year in Budapest and an indoor silver medal over 60m earlier this month in Glasgow.

The latter isn’t an event staged at the Olympics, but throw in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays and Lyles could target four different disciplines in Paris, an unprecedented breadth of ambition for a sprinter.

“We worked on the 60 to help my 100 and my 200 and we’ve seen major progression in that,” he tells CNN Sport.

“I’m extremely excited to see what it’s going to look like outdoors. Because of that, it just keeps the confidence going up and up and up. We’ll go outside and I’ll just have fun with it.”