Noah Lyles said he was “proud” to win bronze in the 200 metres after the impact of Covid-19 thwarted his bid to become the first man since Usain Bolt to complete an individual Olympic sprint double.
The 27-year-old American took the 100-meter title by five thousandths of a second in a historic final on Sunday.
But just four days later he was helped off the track in a wheelchair as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo took the 200m crown, while Lyles tested positive for the virus early Tuesday morning.
He kept the positive test result a secret from his rivals and showed up at the final with his typical exuberance, jumping onto the track.
But after the race he admitted that Covid “definitely affected my performance”.
“I had to take a lot of breaks,” he added.
“I’ve been coughing all night. I’m more proud of myself than anything else, coming here to get a bronze with Covid.
“I was pretty dizzy after that race. Shortness of breath, chest pain, but after a while I managed to catch my breath and get myself together. I’m much better now.”
Lyles was expected to run in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, but in a later social media post he wrote: “I think this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics.
“These are not the Olympics I dreamed of, but they left me with so much joy in my heart. I hope everyone enjoyed the show.”
All seemed to be going well when Lyleso displayed his usual theatrics, firing up the crowd before attempting to become only the tenth man to win gold in the 100m and 200m at the same Games.
Lyles, who won three world titles last year, began his quest for a potential four golds with a sensational 100m triumph. He beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in a dramatic photo finish to set up what has been described as the fastest 100m race in history, with the slowest of the eight finalists clocking an impressive 9.91 seconds.
However, after posting only the sixth fastest start in the 200m final, Lyles was unable to make up ground on Tebogo and spent most of the race in third place, crossing the finish line behind U.S. silver medalist Kenneth Bednarek.
How much Lyles was struggling only became apparent once he had finished, when he appeared out of breath before being helped into his wheelchair, after being photographed lying on the track.
“We were trying to keep it a secret,” Lyles said.
“The people who knew were the medical staff, my coach, my mom. We didn’t want everyone to panic.
“I’m competitive. Why should you give [your rivals] an advantage over you?”
Lyles, who hugged fellow athletes including Tebogo, said he tested positive around 5 a.m. Tuesday after waking up during the night and experiencing symptoms including aches, chills and a sore throat.
He quarantined himself in a hotel near the Olympic Village with his team, who he said “tried to put me on as many medications as possible, to make sure my body could maintain the momentum.”
“I still wanted to run, it was still possible, but we were far away from everyone,” Lyles said.
“This is by far the best day I’ve felt in the last three days. Not 100% yet, but closer to 90-95%.
“It only works for one shot. I have to calm down for a while. It’s a done deal, there’s no way to hold back.”
The 200-meter defeat ended Lyles’s lofty hopes of winning four gold medals in Paris, although he had planned to add the 4×400-meter relay to his world hat-trick of 100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100 meters, achieved 12 months earlier.
The 4x100m final will take place on Friday at 18:47 BST, while the 4x400m final will be held on Saturday at 20:00 BST.
Lyles had previously said that “we haven’t decided yet” about whether he would participate in the relays and that he would have a “very honest and transparent conversation with the coaches.”
He added: “Whatever happens, this 4x100m team can handle it. I’ve been with them in training, I know they can win, break any record they set.”
What are the current Covid protocols in sports?
At the Tokyo Games three years ago, postponed from 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, athletes had to compete in empty stadiums and maintain strict social distancing to combat the spread of infections.
In Paris, even if the virus has not disappeared, the situation has largely returned to normal.
Covid is now being treated like other respiratory illnesses, with no rigid protocols preventing athletes from competing.
The United States Track and Field Team (USATF) told BBC Sport that it, along with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), “quickly adopted all necessary protocols to prioritize his health, the well-being of our team and the safety of our other 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 has chosen to compete tonight. We respect his decision and will continue to closely monitor his condition,” USATF said.
“As an organization, we strictly adhere to the CDC [Centres for Disease Control and Prevention]USOPC and CIO [International Olympic Committee] respiratory disease guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease among team members, safeguarding their health and performance.”
Earlier in the Games, Britain’s Adam Peaty tested positive for Covid-19 a day after winning silver in the 100m breaststroke, but returned to pool action five days later.
Noah Lyles ended the United States’ 20-year wait for a men’s 100-meter Olympic champion [BBC]
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