Noah Lyles Shows Love to YuGiOh En Route to Olympic Qualification, Channels 'Heart of the Cards'

• Noah Lyles has booked his spot at the Olympic Games in Paris after winning the 100-metre final at the US trials
• The American sprinter loves anime and manga and has been showing off his rare Yu-Gi-Oh cards before his races
• Lyles previously paid tribute to Dragon Ball before a race, making his entrance with a hair colour similar to Goku's

Noah Lyles is not only an exceptionally talented sprinter, but also a bit of a geek at heart.

The American runner, who is one of the biggest stars in athletics at present, has shown off his love for manga while qualifying for the Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris later this year.

As noted by the BBC, Lyles won the 100m at the US Olympic trials to qualify for the Games, but it was his pre-race antics that had people talking.

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Lyles shows love to Yu-Gi-Oh

Over the weekend, during the US Olympic track and field trials, Lyles went viral for pulling out a Yu-Gi-Oh card during his introduction.

Yu-Gi-Oh is a popular Japanese manga series that has spawned into a television show and a hugely successful trading card game.

The 26-year-old pulled out the Blue Eyes White Dragon card when the cameras focused on him, one of the most powerful monsters in the game.

After the race, he explained that it was due to a deal he had with Chase Ealey, YuGiOhNews noted.

Many were then eager to see whether he would produce another card during the finals, and the 26-year-old didn’t disappoint.

During the introductions, Lyles pulled out another card, this time one part of Exodia the Forbidden One. Exodia is one of the most powerful monsters in the game, provided the player draws all five pieces of it.

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Lyles has always loved manga

While some are surprised to see the sprinter channelling his inner geek before races, it’s by no means a new thing.

Lyles has previously expressed his love for all manga and once paid tribute to Goku from Dragon Ball before a race.

In an Instagram LIVE interview with Katie Ledecky, he also spoke about his love for manga (Japanese comics) and anime (animation), Olympics.Com reported.

"My favourite anime is Full Metal Alchemist. There are two versions - Full Metal Alchemist and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. I truthfully like both versions for different reasons, but I usually watch Brotherhood more. And then my favourite manga is called Cage of Eden," he explained in the interview.

Usain Bolt praises Lyles

Sports Brief reported how sprint superstar Usain Bolt lavished praise on America’s Lyles.

During an interview, the world record holder admitted that he missed competing in races.

He then spoke about Lyles, the man most capable of beating Bolt’s long-standing records.