Noah Lyles sought to follow up his gold medal in the 100 meters with a matching one in the 200 meters. On Thursday, the favorite instead claimed the bronze in the 2024 Paris Olympics — and revealed that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 two days earlier.
He finished behind Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who won gold, and fellow American Kenny Bednarek, who garnered the silver.
Lyles, a 27-year-old from northern Virginia, said in an interview with NBC after the race that he woke up early Tuesday “feeling really horrible.”
“I knew it was more than just being sore from the 100,” he said. “Woke up the doctors and we tested, and unfortunately it came up that I was positive for COVID.”
Lyles was seen almost immediately after the race asking for water and going down to one knee. He sat on the side of the track for an extended period of time as medical personnel attended to him. Photographs and video from after the event showed him being taken off the track in a wheelchair.
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He said in the interview, “It’s taken its toll for sure, but I’ve never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and getting a bronze medal.”
He said he quarantined as much as possible but never considered skipping the race.
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USA Track & Field said in a statement: “We can confirm that Noah Lyles tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, August 6th. In response, the USOPC [U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee] and USATF swiftly enacted all necessary protocols to prioritize his health, the wellbeing of our team, and the safety of fellow competitors.”
It continued, “Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety of Team USA athletes while upholding their right to compete. After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight. We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely.”
Lyles is scheduled for one more race, the 4×100-meters relay, but he told NBC after the 200 meters he wasn’t sure if he would compete in that event.
“I’m feeling more on the side of letting Team USA do their thing. They’ve proven with great certainty they can handle it without me,” he said. “If that’s the case coming off today, I’m perfectly fine saying, ‘Hey, you guys do your thing. You have more than enough speed to handle it and get the gold medal.'”
Later on Thursday, Lyles appeared to say in an Instagram post that he would not compete in that event, writing, “I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics.”
“It is not the Olympic I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart,” Lyles wrote. “I hope everyone enjoyed the show. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you? See you next time.”
On Sunday, Lyles narrowly edged Kishane Thompson to capture the 100-meter gold, besting the Jamaican by a mere five thousandths of a second. American Fred Kerley rounded out the medals in photo finish, with the top four finishers separated by just .04 seconds and the top seven just .09 — a literal blink of an eye.
Bednarek claimed the silver in the 200 meters in Tokyo but fell behind in the 100 meters in Paris, finishing seventh at the Stade de France.
Lyles also took home the bronze in the 200 meters in Tokyo. He added the 100-meter sprint for the Paris Games, which paid off earlier this week.
The 2024 Summer Games have been good for Team USA, which led the medal count in athletics — the track and field events — going into competition Friday: six gold, seven silver and six bronze.