Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
Olympic 100 metres champion Noah Lyles has cancelled his much-anticipated showdown with NFL wide receiver Tyreek Hill, due to what he said were personal reasons and lack of buy-in from sponsors.
Hill, who plays for the Miami Dolphins, had challenged Lyles to a 50-yard race days after the American won the blue-riband event in Paris last year in the closest-fought final in Olympic history.
Lyles said that plans were to hold the event this weekend in New York’s Times Square.
Hill has boasted that he could beat Lyles in a race, leading to plenty of trash talk between the two men.
When Lyles won his fourth consecutive 60m indoor title in February, he playfully tore off his race bib to reveal a scrawled message: “Tyreek Could Never”.
Hill, among the fastest players in the NFL, said on social media that the race was on, writing “Coming to a city near you”.
Lyles said many people, including potential sponsors, thought it was all just talk.
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