Junelle Lyles, the talented Jamaican athlete, has announced her retirement from competitive track and field following her participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics. During an appearance on PEOPLE’s WAG World series, the two-time Olympian reflected on her experiences and expressed that achieving her lifelong Olympic dream did not provide the fulfilment she had anticipated.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Junelle-Lyles-01-073026-6d6fd5e829d5456b96e6d03973d26f18.jpg)
The 28-year-old Lyles, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 4×400 metre relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, spoke candidly about her journey in the sport. Despite being aware of her natural talent from a young age, she admitted that formal training was nearly nonexistent in her childhood.
“Our early days were about just running around and having fun,” Lyles recalled. “Looking back, it feels like a gift from God, as I wasn’t heavily trained at that time. Seeing the intensity of training in America with six-year-olds racing is eye-opening; for us, it was just play.” This carefree attitude was part of the rich tapestry of Jamaican athletics, a culture that Lyles admired deeply.
Inspired by the legendary sprinter Veronica Campbell Brown, Lyles aimed for greatness throughout her athletic career. She vividly remembers watching the 2004 Athens Olympics, where Campbell Brown excelled and evoked pride in every Jamaican: “Seeing someone who looked like me winning gold created a spark. I knew that I wanted to chase that feeling,” Lyles remarked.
In 2016, she made headlines by winning four gold medals at the Girls and Boys Championship in Jamaica, a significant milestone that put her on the path toward Olympic success. At her first Olympic appearance in Tokyo, standing on the podium felt unexpectedly anticlimactic. “This was a dream I had pursued since I was eight years old, yet it didn’t feel fulfilling,” she admitted.
In her pursuit of further success, Lyles trained diligently for the 2024 Paris Olympics, competing in events that ultimately fulfilled her individual aspirations. Yet, she found herself questioning whether athletics was still her true passion. “Even as I trained for Paris, I sensed that this may not be my dream anymore,” she explained.
Lyles’ dedication to track and field had its costs. She reflected on how the rigorous demands of her sport often meant missing out on family life. “I’ve been living in dorms since I was eleven, and with family increasingly growing, you miss important life moments,” she said. This was particularly poignant when her mother was diagnosed with cancer during her Olympic training. “Time together was limited to short visits on weekends, which made every moment even more precious.”
Ultimately, Lyles decided to step away from the sport, announcing her retirement on WAG World. She has started to explore new avenues that excite her, moving beyond just medals and races. “My current passion lies in creating something fresh, like the podcast,” she explained. “This venture feels different and invigorating, and I want to bring new ideas to light.”
Now, Lyles is embracing her newfound identity, focusing on pursuits that engage her creatively. “I want people to know that my journey no longer revolves around running; it’s about exploring what else I can contribute,” she stated. With her husband Noah Lyles, an accomplished Olympian himself, she continues to seek fulfilling experiences that extend beyond the realm of athletics.
As she embarks on this new chapter in her life, Junelle Lyles underscores the importance of chasing passions that resonate with one’s true self, illustrating that personal growth often means venturing into uncharted territory.