Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles dream of winning the individual sprint double ended after he tested positive for COVID. Lyles tested positive on Tuesday just two days before his 200m final where he finished third.
After the race, he looked tired and collapsed on the track, clearly struggling to breathe. Noah Lyles was taken away in wheelchair after the 200m final. The USA sprinter took to social media to reveal that what he believed that his involvement in the Paris Olympics was now over.
Taking to Instagram Noah Lyles wrote, “ 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. I hope everyone enjoyed the show”. Following the COVID, Lyles will not be part of the US quartet attempting to win 4x100m relay gold.
Noah Lyles on Being Test Positive for COVID
In an interview with NBC, Lyles said: "I woke up early, about 5:00am on Tuesday morning and I was feeling really horrible. "I knew it was more than just being sore from the 100 (metres). We woke up the doctors and we tested and unfortunately, it came up that I was positive for Covid."
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He added," But to be honest, I'm more proud of myself than anything. Coming out and getting the bronze medal with Covid. We tried to keep this as close to the chest. Only people who knew were the medical staff, my coach, my mom, my family. We didn't want everybody to go into a panic.
USATF Issues Statement after Noah Lyles Test Positive
USA Track and Field (USATF) told BBC Sport that it and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) "swiftly enacted all necessary protocols to prioritise his health, the wellbeing of our team, and the safety of fellow competitors" after learning of Lyles' positive test.
"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," USATF said.
"As an organisation, we are rigorously adhering to CDC [Centres for Disease Control and Prevention], USOPC, and IOC [International Olympic Committee] guidelines for respiratory illnesses to prevent the spread of illness among team members, safeguarding their health and performance."
