Originally appeared on E! Online
Noah Lyles is standing by Junelle Bromfield.
After the Olympic gold medalist’s girlfriend — who competed in Paris 2024 for Team Jamaica — became subject to scrutiny online, Lyles shared a lengthy statement of support.
“I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of my GF and give her the flowers she deserves now,” Lyles wrote in an Aug. 17 Instagram post. “She has been through so much in her life that I could never imagine fighting through. Beyond that she is a survivor, 2x Olympian, Olympic medalists, Multi world championship medalist, and has been representing Jamaica on the world stage since she was 8 years old.”
And Lyles — who previously shared in a July interview that Bromfield had detailed the “drama” of how Jamaican runners train to him — specifically called out his girlfriend’s own country for the hate she’d been receiving.
“The most impressive thing I’ve seen recently is how she’s dealt with the pure disrespect and hatred towards her from her own country,” the 27-year-old continued. “This woman has been attacked by people who have never met her, heard her name before, never seen her smile, or heard what she believes in.”
Lyles finished, “She keeps moving forward knowing that God will always make a way. That’s why God keeps blessing her!”
While Lyles was coming to his girlfriend’s defense, many detractors suggested that the sprinter was the reason for the hate his girlfriend was receiving in the first place, due to his past comments about the couple’s private conversations.
"Jamaicans DO NOT HATE Junelle," one person responded in the comments. "Jamaicans hate the fact that she told you something about what's happening in Jamaica with the other athletes."
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Despite what fans had to say in the comments, Bromfield was touched by her boyfriend’s words.
“Thank you baby For always supporting long before we even started dating,” the 26-year-old wrote in her own comment under Lyles' post. “ I love and appreciate you always.”
