Noah Lyles has undeniable confidence, but he also knows stains happen to all of us

The Paris Olympics were eventful for Noah Lyles. He left with a gold and bronze medal, fought off COVID-19, and, of course, left making his mark.

Even though Lyles is always on television when competing on the track, he was and still is getting calls from friends and family once his commercial with Tide aired.

"I've been getting plenty of calls. I remember when it first came out right after the trials, and people were like, 'Oh my gosh, I saw you on TV,' I mean, I've had many commercials, but that, I think, was just such a whimsical theme," Lyles said.

Tide brings together two of the most outstanding track and field athletes to represent Team USA: Noah Lyles and Carl Lewis. The two enjoyed working together and have continued their relationship throughout the Paris games. And as successful track and field athletes, the two get plenty of stains.

The commercial was very accurate for Lyles. He always messes up his shirt and finds himself changing it all the time after eating a meal. It happens way more often than he would like to admit it. But now, being able to represent Tide is a surreal moment for Lyles.

Before Lyles was a track and field superstar, he was a kid struggling with asthma, dyslexia, and ADD. He spent a lot of his childhood on breathing machines and spending time at the hospital. But he also was a kid who loved sports. After playing several other sports, Lyles and his brother Josephus wanted to try an individual sport. They landed on track and field and fell in love with it. While watching the 2012 Olympics, the two were determined to make the 2016 team for track and field.

Many young athletes grow up with idols, but Lyles didn't. Its a rare response to hear.

"I don't believe in idols. Not at all. I have people that I respect, but I don't believe in idols. Even role models are a far stretch," Lyles said. "I have a ton of people that I respect, and I try to learn from every person's story. But I'm a firm believer in myself and having a team around me, and the goals that I want to accomplish and the ambition I have, I believe, is enough of a goal. I don't need to have somebody at such a high place that I just admit in awe of them."

With no idol or inspiration, Lyles won gold at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in the 200m at the age of 17. Going into the games, Lyles was there to win, and he wanted to leave with nothing other than a gold medal. Lyles went into the games with a taste of what it's like to compete at the world level of his age group from the World Youth Championships and knew that he was going to be leaving with the top spot.

The Lyles brothers had a dream of reaching the highest level. Their parents weren't pushing them; instead, they were asking to be put in the direction to be pushed to their highest level. Every decision that the two made was fun and what they wanted for themselves. Lyles has seen scenarios where it's the opposite, and the parents push their kids to a point where it is no longer fun, but that wasn't the case for the brothers. The two boys wanted to be pushed, and it was the greatest thing for them.

On the track, Lyles has an undeniable confidence in himself. It took him a lot of time to gain that confidence.

He was bullied and put through therapy when he was eight years old. As he got older, he became more mature and learned how to be in touch with his emotions and understand them.

"I believe that my confidence began to grow more and more, and I truly had a strong ambition and belief that whatever I put my mind to, I can accomplish. I don't need the opinions or thoughts of others at all. The only opinion I need is myself, God, and sometimes my mother and girlfriend," Lyles said.

Lyles paints his nails, creates his music, shows his love for Pokemon and anime, and is his true, authentic self.

He makes bold statements and is committed to achieving nothing but greatness. Lyles faces setbacks like his struggles with mental health and his physical conditions, and it came to show in the Paris Olympic Games.

Lyles won gold in the most noble event in the Olympic Games, which was the 100m. After crossing the finish line and seeing the result that went down to a photo finish, he told America that he's got them.

Later in the games, Lyles competed in the 200m final, where he finished in 19.70 seconds. Despite coming in third and winning bronze, Lyles was escorted off the track in a wheelchair as he was noticeably struggling. It was later confirmed that he was running with a 102-degree fever and was scared that he even had bronchitis after he tested positive for COVID-19.

But knowing Lyles, COVID wasn't going to stop him from competing at the biggest stage.

Now Lyles is leaving Paris as a more decorated Olympic athlete than he came as.

"We're going on a gold medal tour," Lyles said. "I'm gonna go show off the gold. Bring the medal that I said I was getting back to the United States."

This is just the beginning for Lyles. While many can see his name in the media in some negative light, he is unapologetically himself. He speaks his mind and shows his personality.

He may be one of the most controversial athletes right now, but he has made it known that he will not be away any time soon. He will be back and better than ever in the 2028 Olympic Games and coming for more gold.