Sprint star Noah Lyles produces an item from his suit pre-race

Outspoken American sprint star Noah Lyles pulled a trick from his pocket at the US Olympic trials that had nerds salivating.

Outspoken American sprinter Noah Lyles made an offbeat power move ahead of his dominant display at the US Olympic athletic trials.

Lyles, who ruffled the feathers of NBA players with his comments at last year’s world championships, had another move planned for the Paris Olympic trials.

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Ahead of his 100m semi-final in Eugene, Oregon, Lyles pulled a trading card from his suit and showed it to the camera when he was introduced.

The card was from the Trading Card Game, Yu-Gi-Oh!, a game deriving from the Japanese manga illustrated series of the same name.

The card was a rare and valuable “Blue eyes, White dragon” and Lyles backed it up by winning the semi-final and then claiming the 100m crown and booking his place at next month’s Olympics.

Lyles was asked about the card following the semi-final race.

Lyles pulls out his secret weapon at the US trials.

“Where’s the card first of all, the card that you pulled out, where’d you put it?” Lyles was asked. “Did you race with that card?”

“I did,” he replied. “I raced with it on the side.”

“That’s crazy. How’d it stay up there?” the interviewer asked.

“It just stuck to my body. You talking about this card right here?” Lyles said, pulling it out once again.

“Yeah, what’s the meaning behind that?”

“This is Yu-Gi-Oh Blue eyes, White dragon,” he said, leaving the interviewer perplexed.

“Oh you don’t know? She’s not hip y’all. She’s not hip. For the ones who know, you know.”

It turns out many, many fans know, with hundreds taking to social media to applaud the move.

“Pulling out a Yu Gi Oh card is an aura you just can’t manufacture. It comes from within. Inborn aura,” one wrote.

Another said: “Absolute boss move.”

A third wrote: “That’s epic! Noah Lyles really knows how to make an entrance.”

One attempted to downplay the move, writing: “Ain’t that special. Still have one laying around from 10-15 years ago lmao.”

That was quickly shot down, with one fan writing: “Yeah, difference is you’re not running in the Olympics.”

Lyles was at it again for the 100m final, this time producing an Exodia card, which is considered even more powerful than the dragon in the Yu-Gi-Oh world.

Both cards can fetch between $1000 and $5000 depending on their quality.

Lyles, who entered the stadium alongside Snoop Dogg, backed up his showmanship by winning the 100m sprint, equalling his personal best of 9.83 seconds.

Lyles backed off and raised one arm before the finish line. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Lyles poses with the gold medal and a miniature Eiffel Tower after winning the men's 100m final in Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Kenny Bednarek (9.87s) was second and Fred Kerley third (9.88s).

Lyles has a chance to qualify for his favoured event, the 200m, later in the trials.

Lyles won 200m bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and is a six-time gold medallist across three world championships.

After winning the 100m-200m double at last August’s world titles in Budapest, Lyles was asked about the profile of athletics globally and his response went viral.

“You know the thing that hurts me the most?” he began. “I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have ‘world champion’ on their heads.

“World champion of what? The United States?

“Don’t get me wrong. I love the US at times. But that ain’t the world. That is not the world — we are the world.

“We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving and putting on a flag to show that they are represented.

“There ain’t no flags in the NBA. We got to do more. We got to be presented to the world.

“I love the track community, but we can only do so much within our own bubble. There’s a whole world out there.”

Originally published as Sprint star Noah Lyles produces an item from his suit pre-race