Fred Kerley on Noah Lyles rivalry and how athletics saved his life - ‘My track journey is a blessing’

Fred Kerley will always be grateful for his athletics career.

A two-time Olympic medallist in the men’s 100m, the American sprint star could have gone down the paths of American football or basketball as part of a sports-mad family.

But his destiny was the track, a journey Kerley reflected on with pride during his appearance on The Pivot Podcast in April 2025.

“It saved me from a lot of things,” Kerley explained of his athletics journey to the podcast hosts, former NFL trio Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. “If I look back right now…my older brother: jail. Younger brother: jail.

“Me signing that contract saved my life, and when I say that it saved my life, it gave my kids the opportunity to get out of the streets too. The best thing I did was sign that contract and leave the state of Texas.”

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