Noah Lyles competed in the 200-meter final at the Paris Olympics on Thursday night and secured a bronze medal, all while battling COVID-19.
Lyles revealed this news to reporters in the mixed zone after not winning his signature event, the 200 meters. Wearing a mask, Lyles shared that he tested positive for COVID-19 early Tuesday morning. Despite the diagnosis, he finished third in the race, following Letsile Tebogo from Botswana and Kenny Bednarek, his U.S. teammate.
“It definitely affected my performance,” Lyles remarked, adding that he was “more proud of myself than anything, coming out and getting a bronze medal with COVID.”
In a joint statement later on Thursday, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Track and Field stated they “swiftly enacted all necessary protocols to prioritize his health, the wellbeing of our team, and the safety of fellow competitors” following Lyles’ positive test.
“Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety of Team USA athletes while upholding their right to compete,” the statement read. “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 (International Olympic Committee) guidelines for respiratory illnesses to prevent the spread of illness among team members, safeguarding their health and performance.”
Lyles, who has a history of asthma, lay on the track almost immediately after crossing the finish line, which is unusual for him. He required medical attention shortly thereafter and collapsed into a wheelchair on the broadcast. While medical aides with oxygen were available, Lyles did not appear to use it and was wheeled off the track.
“I was quite light-headed after that race, with shortness of breath and chest pains,” Lyles said. “I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. I feel a lot better now.”
Lyles recounted that he tested positive for COVID-19 in the early hours of Tuesday after experiencing symptoms overnight. He quickly quarantined at a hotel near the Olympic Village to avoid infecting others and started taking “as much medication as we legally could,” including Paxlovid.
Despite his diagnosis, Lyles said he never seriously considered not competing; the only reason he wouldn’t have been in the 200-meter final, he said, would have been if COVID-19 prevented him from qualifying.
He also did not inform his fellow competitors or teammates, partly to avoid inciting panic and partly because he didn’t want them to know he wasn’t at 100%. “Why would you give them an edge over you?” he said.
The Paris Olympics have been promoted as the first Games held after the COVID-19 pandemic, but the disease has continued to affect athletes and events. Media reports have noted dozens of cases during the Games, including British swimmer Adam Peaty.
Jonathan Finnoff, the USOPC’s chief medical officer, had previously stated that U.S. athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 or another respiratory illness would be moved into their own rooms to prevent the spread of the disease. However, they would not be barred from training or competing.
“We’ll do that based on their symptoms and how they feel, but we do want to prevent them from infecting those around them, and we’ll also provide prophylaxis based on what is recommended by CDC guidelines,” Finnoff said.
For Lyles, this situation opened a metaphorical door that allowed him to win his second bronze medal in as many Games. Earlier in the week, he had won gold in the men’s 100 by five-thousandths of a second.
