Noah Lyles' Mother Couldn't Buy $11 Shoes

Welcome to 'EssentiallySports Daily', your front-row seat to the latest sports news, insights, and analysis! - powered by EssentiallySports

👋 Hey Team USA Fans!

Two names echoed the loudest at the Stade de France and Bercy Arena and you will know about them in today's EssentiallySports Daily newsletter. At the purple tracks, Noah Lyles proved himself and claimed the fastest man in the world title as he ran past the Jamaican hate and took a gold home. But his journey to becoming one of the best sprinters in the world has not been easy. In his childhood, Lyles faced a gut-wrenching moment with his mother as they shopped for his shoes but couldn’t afford them. Furthermore, we will also discuss the one flaw the 27-year-old shares with Usain Bolt despite being a gold medalist. 

Featuring more in today’s special also includes Suni Lee, who has turned out to be a phenom, once again. The 21-year-old now has the potential to join the ranks of Shannon Miller and achieve something even Simone Biles could not. Seeing her step up the ranks in American gymnastics after a struggling last season, Lee’s family revealed their nerves in an interview with EssentiallySports as the 6-time Olympic medalist won her third medal at the Summer Games.

So let’s dive in!

🥇MEDAL COUNT

Almost there!

🙌 HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Noah Lyles' Mother Couldn't Buy $11 Shoes

Times were not as great as they look today. There was a time as tough as Noah Lyles's mother. Keisha Caine was willing to live in the basement of Rahsaan’s apartment (their uncle) after separation from her then-husband.  Caine had to survive with her two children, Noah and Josephus Lyles until she managed a job. And during those days, Lyles's athletic abilities were growing and he needed better sports shoes. So, like anyone, the family went to Walmart. The 27-year-old found his size and shoes, but when he flipped to see the price tag, Caine and Lyles realized that they couldn’t afford it. 

It was a meager $11, but then it stood tall between Caine’s and her son’s aspirations. As known, the heartbreaking moment didn’t stop Caine from supporting her child's dream, and today, he has acquired a net worth of $5 million. Appreciating his mother’s relentless hard work behind his success, the Olympian said, “There is nobody tougher than my mom and I want to be like you one day.” From placing the shoe back in the Walmart rack to Lyles being signed with Adidas till 2028 for more than $10 million, life has come full circle for the Lyles Family. A decade later, Caine can now buy any shoes without looking at the price tag and move on from that struggling time. 

Dive Deeper: Sha’Carri Richardson’s Love Forces Adele to Take $34 Million Risk in Munich for Paris Olympics

📊 POLL OF THE DAY

🌟 ES EXCLUSIVE

Jamaican Hate Fails To Touch Noah Lyles

Deemed the ‘fastest man’ of the 2024 season, Noah Lyles fulfilled the expectations of the Americans and upset many Jamaican supporters after winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. It was the first Olympic medal for the men’s track and field since the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a first for Lyles's career, which might come to an end before the 2028 LA. Nonetheless, the crowd roared for the 27-year-old as he raised the USA flag and soaked in the moment. However, before the finals started, the Jamaican supporters declared that Lyles would not be the one at the Stade de France podium with gold around his neck. 

EssentiallySports correspondent, Shreya Verma visited the Jamaica House at Espace de la Cockerie, just six minutes from Stade de France, and asked a fan if Lyles would be the fastest. They replied in negative and declared, “I can promise you that Noah Lyles will not win tonight.” The Jamaican supporter was unsurprisingly more inclined toward Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville. However, Seville didn’t win any and Thompson settled with a silver, surely disappointing the fans. Although the difference between Lyles and Thompson was only 0.005 seconds, the former proved the Jamaican fans wrong and was untouchable by it.   

Dive Deeper: “Noah Lyles Is Losing”: Doomed Jamaican House Fans Adamant Over Last Hope for Paris Olympics Gold (Exclusive)

🌟 ES EXCLUSIVE

Suni Lee's Sister Reveals Paris Olympics Pressure

Just six months ago, Suni Lee was surrounded by a plethora of self-doubt and criticism following two incurable kidney diseases which made her take a hiatus from the mats. The Tokyo Olympics all-around medalist forgot about the exceptional form she had in Japan and spiraled down as her NCAA career was, all of a sudden, struck. However, through the struggles, Lee surfaced at the Paris Olympics eyeing the medals. Despite working on meds, Lee landed three medals: gold at the team event, and bronze at the individual all-around and uneven bars. 

The journey from the lowest point in her career to being one of the most decorated gymnasts was debilitating, but the 6-time Olympic medalist fought through all. And when she won over, her family, who supported her throughout, revealed the nervousness they experienced during the event. After Lee won the third medal at the Paris Olympics, Shreya Verma - EssentiallySports on-site correspondent - caught up with her sister Shyenne Lee and mother, Yeev Thoj. The older sister was in awe as Lee clinched the bronze and told Verma, “My heart keeps pounding.” Indeed, it was an emotional moment for the Lee family as they watched Suni Lee on the podium from the time when she was hopeless about the future. 

Dive Deeper: “My Heart Keeps Pounding”: Suni Lee’s Family Confesses After Paris Olympics Triumph (EXCLUSIVE)

😎 HERO OF THE DAY

Suni Lee Achieved What Simone Biles Couldn't at 21

It will always be kind of impossible to match the phenomenal career of Simone Biles, who has been declared the G.O.A.T, and the most decorated gymnast in American history. Her 10 Olympic medals and 30 other world championship titles prove that more than anything. However, when you reel back six years ago, Biles did not even come close to matching what Suni Lee has accomplished at the budding age of 21. It took Biles more years to clinch seven Olympic medals than it may take Lee. Biles achieved that feat at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when the 27-year-old won the 7th medal (Bronze) at the Balance Beam aged 24. 

On the other hand, Lee will be on her way to earning the seventh medal of her Olympic career at the Balance Beam final at the Paris Olympics’s Bercy Arena, after winning the Bronze in uneven bars. The 21-year-old will match the record of Shannon Miller (7), if she successfully wins another medal, and will be the second most decorated gymnast in USA’s history. Lee will face her compatriot Biles at the event and would hope that in the end both of them take a spot at the podium.

Dive Deeper: Simone Biles Is the Greatest Athlete, but Suni Lee Achieved What Gymnastics GOAT Couldn’t at 21

Same Flaw As Bolt, Yet Olympics Gold Safe

If there was ever an iota of doubt on Noah Lyles winning an Olympic gold, the 27-year-old proved them empty as he won the tag of ‘world’s fastest man‘ at the Paris Olympics. He screamed at the top of his lungs, “America, I told you” and showed the bib with his name, becoming the fastest man in the world. A proud moment for the red, blue, and white fans as Lyles destroyed the Jamaican dominance of the past 10 years, and emerged victorious over Kishane Thompson with five thousandths of a second lead. But did you know the 1-time Olympic medalist shares an identical flaw to the Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt? 

Although the Gainesville native acquired gold at Stade de France, he had the slowest reaction time to a stimulus (0.178 seconds) which would have hindered his gold chase. Interestingly, Bolt also struggled with slow starts, which had worked to improve throughout his career. Despite this, both the sprinters usually end up winning as they accelerate in the second half and dust off the bad start. Lyles has been working with his coach Lance Brauman as well to refine his slow starts and be ahead of everyone since the starting line. Even with a flaw, Lyles has become the fastest man in the world, one could only imagine what he can achieve with better and faster starts. 

Dive Deeper: Suffering Same Flaw as Usain Bolt, Noah Lyles Proudly Manages to Erase Jamaican Dominance After Paris Olympics Gold

📝 STORIES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS!

1. “You Listening, Adidas?”: Noah Lyles Wants Jesse Owens-Like Change For His Future After Paris Olympics Gold- Full Story

2. “Can’t Believe”: Noah Lyles Breaks Silence on Man Who Helped Win Paris Olympics 100M Gold- Full Story

3. Insider’s Final Verdict On Noah Lyles vs Kishane Thompson’s Paris Olympics Photo Finish Controversy Exposed To Media - Full Story

4. Blamed for Kishane Thompson’s Loss, Junelle Bromfield Fans Defend Against Jamaican Hate at Paris Olympics: “Leave Her Alone” - Full Story

Paris Olympics Live: Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Swimming, Athletics and More Team USA Updates

💌 FEEDBACK

We appreciate your valuable feedback as it would help us deliver you the best sports content that you love. Just scroll up and let us in on your thoughts. This will further help us curate content that is PERFECT for YOU!