Team USA track and field star Noah Lyles is giving his girlfriend, fellow Olympian Junelle Bromfied, her flowers as she faces backlash from remarks he made in a resurfaced interview.
While speaking with Track World News in July, he expressed to the hosts how Bromfield, who hails from Jamaica, had been an asset to his training. More specifically, he admitted that she had given him an insider’s perspective on some of the dealings among the Caribbean country’s athletes.
“I’ve been getting the drama from Jamaican camps for at least five years,” said Lyles. He and the sprinter have been dating for two years but have been friends for longer. “There’s a lot of time I make references to Jamaicans … I’m not saying it because I’m like trying to go back and forth, it’s ‘cause I know information other people don’t,” he added.
Lyles also disclosed that Bromfield’s “eye for talent is very strong,” noting that she had given him a heads up about some of the “underground” talent, including Kishane Thompson. “If she says that somebody’s gonna run fast, they usually run fast. I’m very hip to information that a lot of people [are] just like, ‘Ah, this came out of nowhere.’ No, I kinda saw it,” he said.
The American sprinter competed in this year’s Paris Olympics, where he edged out Jamaican frontrunner Thompson for first place in the men’s 100-meter. The difference between the gold and silver medals was .005 seconds; the final times were 9.784 seconds for Lyles and 9.789 seconds for Thompson. The 27-year-old is now considered the world’s fastest man.
In the aftermath of his victory and clips of his comments recirculating, Lyles took to social media to publicly declare his unwavering love and support for his girlfriend, but also to defend her from critics. On Saturday (Aug. 17), he shared an image of her from a track meet.
In the caption, he wrote, “She has been through so much in her life that I could never imagine fighting through. Beyond that she is a survivor, 2x Olympian, Olympic medalists, multi world championship medalist, and has been representing Jamaica on the world stage since she was 8 years old.”
The post continued, “But the most impressive thing I’ve seen recently is how she’s dealt with the pure disrespect and hatred towards her from her own country. This woman has been attacked by people who have never met her, heard her name before, never seen her smile, or heard what she believes in. But she keeps moving forward, knowing that God will always make a way. Thats why God keeps blessing her!”
In the comment section, he asked that fans create posts sharing how the athlete had impacted their lives. She returned the love, in part expressing gratitude for him helping her to see the “positive in life.” Bromfield also appeared at this year’s Olympics, running in the 400-meter qualifier. She ultimately landed last place in the semifinals. The 26-year-old previously won bronze when she competed in the 4x400 race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.