Why American sprint legend is torn between Letsile Tebogo & Noah Lyles for 2024 male MVP
Justin Gatlin is torn on who should be crowned Male Athlete of the Year between Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles after their remarkable 2024 season.
American sprint icon Justin Gatlin has admitted his struggle in deciding between Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles for the title of most valuable athlete of 2024, following their remarkable seasons. Both athletes delivered extraordinary performances that have left the sprinting world in awe.
Noah Lyles had a breakthrough year, setting a personal best of 9.81 seconds in the 100m at the Diamond League in London on July 20, 2024.
He went on to win the 100m gold at the Paris Olympics, clocking a new personal best of 9.784 seconds, edging Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just 0.005 seconds in a nail-biting finish. Lyles also earned a bronze in the 200m with a time of 19.70 seconds, finishing behind Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek.
On the other side, Tebogo made history by securing Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the 200m. His remarkable season also included breaking the 300m world best with a time of 30.69 seconds at altitude in Pretoria, South Africa, in February 2024.
Tebogo contributed significantly to Botswana’s success in the 4x400m relay, helping the team win gold at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas and silver at the Olympics.
Speaking on his Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin acknowledged the difficult decision, saying, “The numbers are there. Tebogo started the season with a 300m world record, followed it up with the fastest 400m time at 44.2, and then dropped a hot 200m not long after that.
“He finished it all by running 9.8 in the 100m and winning the 200m gold. He definitely had an MVP-type season.”
While co-host Rodney Greene made a strong case for Tebogo as the male athlete of the year, Gatlin gave a special mention to Lyles, calling him “clutch” for his 100m victory in Paris.
“Noah wasn’t even the favorite for the 100m, but he stepped up under immense pressure and won the race,” Gatlin explained. “It was a hard race to win, especially when people were doubting him. He wasn’t the fastest on paper, but he still pulled through.”
Reflecting on Thompson’s blistering 9.77 in the semi-final, Gatlin admitted that Lyles faced a tough mental challenge but rose to the occasion. “When you watch the fastest person on paper run and slow down before the line and still register 9.77, it must have been hard for Noah to take, but he pushed through.”
With both athletes having made strong cases, Gatlin’s internal debate over the most valuable athlete of 2024 continues, underscoring how extraordinary both Tebogo and Lyles were this season.
