"I was depressed. I was coming off my antidepressant medication at the time because I was gaining weight in an unnatural way. There was a lot going on,” the 27-year-old from Florida told the Daily Mail in an interview. 

The sprint star even revealed that he felt "so empty" even after winning the 200m at the 2019 world championships and that he was locked in an almost "constant asthma attack".

"I could barely talk," Lyles said. "I was so tired. All the time. Even thinking was a drain. It felt like you were almost in a constant asthma attack. You know there’s more room in your lungs, but you can’t physically use the muscles to actually take that breath," he described. 

Lyles, who has been diagnosed with ADD and dyslexia, has been in therapy since he was a child. His mental health battle was exacerbated during the pandemic, alongside the limbo of the postponement of the Games during that period. He describes his demeanour during that time as “scary”. 

"It was a real fake-it-to-make-it year for me," he continued, before admitting, "I watched back my race in Tokyo and I was like, 'I really don't know that guy. I don't know who that is but it's not Noah'. It is kind of scary at times. Just even seeing my mannerisms."

Fast forward to 2024, Lyles is at the top of his game and is set to compete in four events in the Paris Olympic Games this summer and he is shooting to win them all. "All the Olympic medals. I don’t care who wants it. It’s mine," Lyles said confidently. 

Lyles admits that he fears the dark days will be back and that he still carries around the disappointment of his Tokyo bronze. "I have two therapists. One is my sports therapist, the other is my personal therapist for life beyond the track. There is a fear in the back of my mind that it (depression) will come back. But every time I think that, I am like, 'I am so much better, I am in such a great place’,” he said.

Lyles is confident that he will turn things around in Paris. "That bronze still burns a hole in my chest. I will be carrying it around during Paris just to remind me this is not the colour we are coming back with," he said looking ahead to the Games. 

The Paris Olympic Games kick off this Friday and the men’s athletics events begin on 1 August.