It was supposed to be the year that Noah Lyles made the leap from elite American sprinter to international Olympic superstar.
Instead, he will remember it as the year he resorted to training on grass fields, and was left to wonder why so many people felt the need to hoard toilet paper.
"You expect to see the milk gone and the water gone, some cereal and stuff," the 23-year-old said with a laugh Friday. "But toilet paper? Goodness gracious! What are y’all doing with all that toilet paper?"
Since the COVID-19 pandemic first reached American shores almost a year ago, Lyles has pared down his competition schedule and dedicated himself to training.