USA track legend Carl Lewis discusses why sport 'needs' Noah Lyles to dominate at Olympics

U.S. track and field legend Carl Lewis says the sport "needs" Team USA sprinter Noah Lyles to dominate at the Olympics.

Ever since Usain Bolt hung up the spikes, track and field has been searching for the new face of the sport and might find it this weekend.

Noah Lyles is on a quest to win four gold medals. The American sprinter will run in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, while his status for the 4x400m relay is up in the air (although he is prepping for it).

One may think that it gets boring after a while to see the same person win all the time. Bolt threepeated in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m from 2008 to 2016. (The 2008 4x100m team was eventually disqualified, thanks to a positive test for a banned substance by Jamaican Nesta Carter.)

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Carl Lewis says track and field 'needs' Noah Lyles to take over as the face of the sport. (Getty Images)

However, nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, arguably the last American face of track and field, says there is "no question" that it would be "best for the sport" if Lyles were to take home at least a couple of gold medals from Paris.

"I think the sport needs someone like him that’s a champion. He’s the defending champion, the fastest man in the world right now, and we need someone to grab onto. I think he’s the perfect guy to do that, and I’m excited about that," Lewis told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

"I think track does better when we do have a superstar. That’s why I think if Noah were to win, he would elevate the sport as well. As opposed to saying ‘I wonder who’s going to win,’ people want to say ‘I want him’ or ‘I don’t want him.’ They want to root for someone, or root against someone. I think it creates more