Four-time Olympic medalist Michael Johnson sat down with NBCUniversal Local to talk about Team USA’s brightest track stars.
If there's anyone who knows a thing or two about claiming gold at the Olympics, it's Michael Johnson.
Johnson, 56, is a four-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field. His wins include the 4 x 400 meter relay at the 1992 Barcelona Games, the 200m and 400m at the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 400m in Sydney in 2000.
With the 2024 Paris Olympics looming, Johnson acknowledged that the field of competition alongside Team USA is getting stronger.
"I think just like with lots of other things, the world has caught up to us," Johnson told NBCUniversal Local, via Omorpho. "And I think that's okay. I think it's fine that you see a country like Jamaica who, you know, just has really dominated the sprints.
"Not just with Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on the women's side and Elaine Thompson-Herah, two of the most successful women sprinters of all time...We're seeing some of the African sprinters, let's say [Letsile] Tebogo, competing really well...And Akani Simbine from South Africa is always there. The defending Olympic champion in the 100 meters is Italian. So, they've caught up to us."
But Johnson acknowledged one aspect the U.S. team is improving is with more "dynamic personalities" breaking through in the sport, which comes at a crucial time.
One such personality is 26-year-old Noah Lyles.
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Watch all the action from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games live on Peacock
"I think with Noah, first and foremost, personalities are an amazing asset for an athlete, and fans certainly get into it," Johnson said. "But if you don't have the performances to back that up then you've sort of just living a moment, you know, that's not really sustainable. But the thing about Noah is he's a great personality, but that's on top of the fact that he's just a phenomenal athlete...He sort of calls his shot and puts it out there.
"He's not afraid to put it out there and say, 'This is the shot I'm going to go for, and I'm going to accomplish it. I'm going to win it.' And he goes out and he backs that up, and he does it. And that's rare."
Another is 24-year-old Sha'Carri Richardson, someone who Johnson wants to see develop improved consistency to aid her unique personality.
"Once she gets up and into her running, her turnover, her quickness is unmatched by anyone, maybe anyone I've ever even seen," Johnson said. "So that's a weapon that when you can apply that, she's unstoppable. But when you have that sort of weapon, the ability to apply it and put it together all on the day, in the right time, that's the trick, that's the key that we all have to figure out. So what I'll be looking for is someone has had to figure out how to do that consistently because she hasn't been as consistent as [Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah].
"...but hopefully it's there because she is absolutely a dynamic personality in the sport. I think she's great for the sport as well."
In terms of potential breakout stars, Johnson mentioned two names he's keeping tabs on.
"...on the U.S. side, I have my eye on Yared Nuguse in the 1500m because I think that, as a track fan, I've always been sort of desperate for another really good American 1500 meter middle distance runner to be able to get in there and mix it up with everyone else in the world," Johnson said. "And I think that he has the talent, but he's one of those athletes that's still very young and does he have the sort of the grit that takes.
"On the international side, there's a few, I think, let's say Tebogo, the sprinter from Botswana who medaled last year in both the 100 meters and 200 meters. There's a huge star for the future."
Track and field events in Paris will be held from Thursday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 11.
