Olympic champion Noah Lyles and Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill were set to race in New York, but the plans fell through due to undisclosed “personal reasons.” The event was the culmination of months of playful banter between the two athletes. Lyles expressed disappointment that the race didn’t materialize, as it was meant to be a grand spectacle in Times Square with billboards promoting the showdown. Despite not elaborating on the reasons for the cancellation, Lyles and Hill had engaged in a friendly rivalry ever since Hill challenged Lyles to a 50-yard race following the sprinter’s Olympic gold win last summer.

While Hill showcased his speed by winning a 100m event in California with a personal best time of 10.15 seconds, he taunted Lyles with a sign proclaiming, “Noah could never.” Lyles, a three-time world champion in various sprint events, including the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, has consistently outperformed Hill in terms of speed, boasting a personal best time of 9.79 seconds in Paris. The playful exchange of trash talk between the two athletes has added an entertaining element to their potential race, which unfortunately did not come to fruition.