Noah Lyles receives medical attention on track after stunning 200m loss that saw USA star race with COVID and celebrate early, then be placed in wheelchair
Noah Lyles tried to keep up with the greats, Usain Bolt and Carl Lewis, but fell short after racing with COVID.
The 27-year-old star for Team USA ended up on his back after running the 200m men's final and received medical attention on the track in Paris during the 2024 Olympics.
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He was eventually escorted off in a wheelchair, with US Track And Field later confirming that the superstar had tested positive for COVID.
It was an odd and almost inexplicable race for Lyles, who previously won the 100m in a photo finish.
"Why is he racing?" one fan tweeted.
"Looked healthy jumping all over the place during his entrance," a second fan posted.
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Before the 200m on Thursday night at Stade de France, he bounced around the track, engaged with fans and appeared to celebrate early.
Once the race started, Lyles began slow and couldn't overcome Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, who took gold and stole Lyles' spotlight, with the American only managing to claim a disappointing bronze.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: "[Covid] definitely affected my performance. I’ve had to take a lot of breaks. I was coughing through the night. I’m more proud of myself than anything, coming out here to get a bronze with Covid.
"I was going to compete. If I didn’t make it to the final, that would’ve been the sign not to compete.
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"I do have Covid. I tested positive around 5am on Tuesday morning. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling real chills, aching, sore throat, and those were a lot of the symptoms I’ve had right before getting Covid.
"We tested, it came back positive and we quickly quarantined in a hotel nearby the (Olympic) Village. We tried to get me on as much medication as we legally could to make sure my body could keep the momentum going.
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"I still wanted to run. It was still possible - we just stayed away from everybody. I knew that if I wanted to come out here and win. I had to give everything I had from the get go. I didn’t have any time to save energy. That was the strategy."
Lyles had hoped to become the first male runner since the legendary Bolt to pull off an Olympic sprint double.
Lyles also could have become the first USA men's runner to achieve the 100m and 200m double since Carl Lewis in 1984.
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Bolt completed a double Olympic sprint crown multiple times (2008, 2012, 2016) while becoming a worldwide phenom.
Lyles had become one of the biggest stars of the 2024 Olympics, helping push Team USA to the top of the medal board while beginning to fulfill the potential of his generational talent.
It took an up-close view with the Omega Scan’O'Vision to determine that Lyles won gold in the 100m in classic thrilling fashion, as he became the first American since Justin Gatlin in 2004 to win gold in the ultimate Olympic sprint.
"I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and Depression," Lyles tweeted after the 100m. "But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!"
He's also been supportive of his Team USA track teammates, posting encouraging words after big finishes.
"That was an amazing 1500!" Lyles wrote. "Cole Hocker you Got me screaming my head off!"
On Thursday, Lyles pumped up the crowd and bounced around the track before locking into the starting blocks from the fifth lane for the 200m.
As he clapped his hands and pointed toward the stands, an electric Lyles embraced the pressure -- and potential -- of a race that could double down on his status as the fastest athlete in the world.
Bolt's name appeared on TV while Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger was shown in the stands, further highlighting how much was at stake in Paris.
But Lyles started slow and couldn't recover.
When pure speed was needed to win gold in the 200m, Lyles simply wasn't fast enough - hardly a surprise given his positive COVID test.
Lyles then was interviewed wearing a mask, in another odd scene from a race that struggled to make sense.
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Tebogo also appeared to take a shot at Lyles after winning gold.
"For me, I can't be the face of athletics because I'm not an arrogant or loud person like Noah," Tebogo said.
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