Last Sunday, the 27-year-old American sprinter broke the title drought that the United States had been maintaining for a couple of decades in the 100m race, perhaps the most prestigious event of the Games. The victory was especially significant for Lyles, who has repeatedly criticised the low profile of athletics in his country, where sports such as the NBA, NFL and baseball dominate the media attention and fan base.

Lyles hopes that his gold medal, coupled with the success of the Netflix documentary series 'Sprint', will provide an opportunity for athletics, and himself, to gain more visibility and financial support. "I want to see a continuation of the ability to seize moments for our sport. Sprint was a success and I know they are already filming the second season. They've done a good job of getting the word out about our sport," Lyles told a press conference.

The Olympic champion stressed the importance of making the sport more accessible to everyone. "We need to make this as accessible as possible for people, so they don't have to search on hard-to-find websites or pay to watch it. This is a global sport and we need to show it to the world," he said.

Lyles emphasised that in order for athletics to grow in popularity and reach a wider audience, it is essential to facilitate access to competitions and events. According to the sprinter, this greater accessibility could be the key to increasing the fan base and ultimately attracting more sponsors and commercial opportunities.

From a personal perspective, Lyles hopes that his success will lead a major sporting goods manufacturer to create a line of shoes with his name on them, emulating Michael Jordan's famous deal with Nike. According to the runner, few American athletes have had the opportunity to have their own brand of footwear. "I want my own shoe," Lyles declared. "I want my own shoe. I really do. There's no money in the spikes of athletic shoes. Even Michael Johnson didn't have his own shoe. It's amazing to me that, with the amount of medals we win and the notoriety we get, that hasn't happened yet. So that needs to change."

Lyles stressed the importance of recognising the value and contribution of track athletes, as he understands that track athletes, despite their achievements, do not receive the same level of recognition and financial rewards as athletes in other disciplines. A shoe deal would not only be a significant personal achievement for the American, but could also open the door for other runners to receive similar opportunities.

Finally, Lyles expressed relief at fulfilling his promise of victory, after proclaiming all season that he was "unbeatable". "It's satisfying to be able to back up my words," Lyles said. "I've seen a lot of cases where athletes come in as favourites and things don't end up going their way." His ability to handle pressure and live up to expectations has cemented his status as one of the world's top athletes, and his victory could be the catalyst American athletics needs to reach new heights.

Lyles has ended America's long wait for a gold medal in the 100m sprint, as the last time an American won gold in this category was in Athens in 2004, with Justin Gatlin. His victory not only marks a personal milestone, but also brings his country back to the top of the 100m after a decade dominated by the legendary Usain Bolt and the Jamaican sprinters.