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ManyDragon Ballfans believe that the purpose of Akira Toriyama’s series was to deliver some great characters who could fight till the end of the world. However, the real message that the mangaka wanted to share withDragon Ballwas that no matter what kind of situation arises before you, you should never give up.
He portrayed this message with the protagonist of his series, Son Goku. Goku has been a source of inspiration for many people. In fact, he has also inspired some of the greatest athletes taking part in the Paris Olympics 2024. One of them was the American track and field athlete, Noah Lyles, who recently won gold in the men’s 100-meter sprint.
Lyles’ gold was a big achievement for the athlete, as he not only won the hearts of millions but also got his revenge against one of his opponents. And after winning the race, he channeled his inner Goku and struck the iconic Kamehameha pose that is now gaining him the respect of every anime fan out there.
Noah Lyles Gets His Revenge on His Opponent
On day nine of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lyles won his first-ever gold in the men’s 100-meter sprint. His official time came out to be 9.79 seconds, a personal best, in the Sunday night competition at Stade de France. Although he had a slow start, he picked up his pace in the final few meters and claimed the victory for himself.
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The victory felt even sweeter as Lyles was able to get his win over Jamaican Olympic athlete Oblique Seville, who beat him in the semi-finals by only 0.02 seconds. In the finals, Seville’s performance was not as good, as the athlete came in at eighth place with a record time of 9.91 seconds. However, this was not the first time that the two athletes were engaged in a battle.
In the Racers Grand Prix in June 2024, Seville beat Lyles with a timing that was .03 less than Lyles.
Oh yah… I’ll remember this!See you in Paris@ObliqueSevillepic.twitter.com/cvOt5gktPG
— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah)July 19, 2025
This defeat motivated Lyles to take revenge against the Jamaican athlete, and he couldn’t have chosen a better ground to do so. His journey is nothing short of an inspiration to other athletes.
Noah Lyles Remembers Goku After His Hard-Earned Victory
After the sweet revenge that Lyles got on Seville, the American track and field athlete decided to make his victory even more iconic by remembering his inspiration from the anime world. Lyles decided to bring outhis inner Goku as he fired a Kamehamehatowards the crowd. The moment reflected his love for the series andAkira Toriyama.
Lyles dreams of becoming the first sprinter to win both the 100m and 200m events at the Olympics, challenging the title of the current fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt. However, there is still a lot to cover, as Bolt’s record is still quite far away from Lyles.
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Nonetheless, his Kamehameha victory was noticed byDragon Ballfans, and they decided to appreciate the athlete for his representation of the anime series on a global level.
He’s sick with it 🦾pic.twitter.com/4wpSUjhDa5
— Ron Oliver (@RPOIII)June 26, 2025
pic.twitter.com/UoQ7U9ZXpr
— Harley Anime✨ (@dbs_10_10)August 07, 2025
I love that I found out about this by my dad running in the house and saying a gold medalist was striking the pose my kids do all the time 🥲
— Kalyn Hawkins (@tyranasurswreck)July 01, 2025
This is where he should’ve pulled out all the pieces of exodia
— king (@Alskon13)June 14, 2025
pic.twitter.com/71KwZFRIIa
— king_bash1 (@king_bash10)June 19, 2025
Nyles’ victory is the perfect representation of what Toriyama tried to portray with his series. The athletes chose the perfect moment to honor the mangaka and his series that has inspired millions and will continue to do so in the future.
You can watch theDragon Ballseries on Crunchyroll.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2958
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
