Noah Lyles’ run at the Olympics was cut short on Thursday.
The 100-metre gold medalist took to Instagram to announce that he decided to withdraw from the remainder of the Olympics. The news came after he revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis following his bronze medal finish in the 200-metre earlier in the day.
“I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics,” Lyles said in the post. “It is not the Olmypic I dreamed of but it has left me with so much joy in my heart. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you?
“See you next time.”
The 27-year-old was set to participate in the men’s 4×100-metre relay, with the Americans being a favourite to win the event. The final is on Friday and the exclusion of Lyles should benefit the Canadian team, who came second in the event in Tokyo three years ago.
Lyles lost the Olympic 200-metre Thursday, coming in third behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and fellow American Kenny Bednarek. He was then tended to by medics who carted him off the track in a wheelchair.
After crossing the line in third for the second straight Olympics, Lyles fell to his back and eventually sat up to be helped by medical staff.
“I definitely say that it’s taking its toll, for sure, but I’ve never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and get a bronze medal,” Lyles said to NBC after the race.
“I just was feeling really horrible. I knew it was more than just being sore from the 100. … I woke up the doctors and tested and unfortunately it came up positive. My first thought was not to panic. I’ve been in worse situations. I’ve run with worse conditions. We just took it day by day.”
CBC’s Devin Heroux obtained a statement from the USA Track and Field (USTAF), where the organization confirmed Lyles tested positive for COVID on Monday and that Lyles still chose to compete in finals.
“In response (to Lyles’ positive test), the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USTAF swiftly enacted all necessary protocols to prioritize his health, the wellbeing of our team, and the safety of fellow competitors,” USATF said in the statement to Heroux.
“…After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight. We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely. As an organization, we are rigorously adhering to CDC, USOPC, and IOC guidelines for respiratory illnesses to prevent the spread of illness among team members, safeguarding their health and performance.”
It’s the second straight Olympics the virus has played a major role in Lyles’ trip to the Games. He also won the bronze in the 200 at the Tokyo Olympics, and he has said the empty stands and a year delay before the Games led to depression that he said hampered his performance and inspired his road to Paris.
Lyles had not been beaten in a 200 since that night in Tokyo, and after his win in the 100, he brought the bronze medal to the press conference, slammed it on the table and said that had been his motivation for three full years.
