Noah Lyles fell short of the coveted Olympic “sprint double” on Thursday night at Stade de France, finishing in a stunning third in the 200 m, a race in which he’s the three-time defending world champ. Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won the gold with a time of 19.46 seconds, and Lyles’ American teammate, Kenny Bednarek, won the silver with a time of 19.62. Lyles crossed the line in 19.70 seconds, well clear of Tebogo. He revealed after the race that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Lyles, who had guaranteed to TIME before the Olympics that he’d win three gold medals, displayed his usual showmanship before the race, jumping over the rail during his introduction, and knocking the lane number off his block when he struck it before the start. Coming into Paris, the 200 m was probably his surest thing, but after the race he was taken off the track in a wheelchair, according to a Paris 2024 official, and receiving medical attention.
Lyles, who has asthma and was seen wearing a mask Wednesday and Thursday, told NBC after the race that he woke up about around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning feeling “really horrible” and tested positive for COVID-19. “It’s taken its toll for sure,” he said. “But I’ve never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and getting a bronze medal – last Olympics I was very disappointed, and this time I couldn’t be more proud.” He said he never considered skipping the race.
Three years ago, Lyles was the heavy favorite in this race at the Tokyo Olympics. He finished third and broke down in tears while talking to journalists afterward. Lyles was diagnosed with depression during the pandemic, and the absence of fans in Tokyo sapped his energy. He opened up about this difficult stretch, then needed to be convinced by his coach and sports psychologist to run in the Prefontaine Classic a few weeks later, to get back on a winning track. Lyles relented, then won that race.
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He had been ascending ever since. At the 2022 world championships in Eugene, Ore., he broke Michael Johnson’s American record of 19.32 seconds, running it in 19.31. Lyles defended that title last year, added the 100 m to his program and won that world title in Budapest, making him the world’s fastest man, and then on Sunday, caught up to Kishane Thompson of Jamaica at the very, very last moment, winning the 100-m Olympic race by .005 seconds.
Lyles watched his memorable 100-m victory a few hours after winning the race, while receiving treatment. “When I first saw it, I was like, ‘Oh, I really was in last place,’” said Lyles after running his first 200-m round on Monday. His reaction time at the start was tied with Letsile Tebogo of Botswana for slowest in the sprint.
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But Lyles couldn’t go out and celebrate his victory—he had to run the next day. And before that he had to report for boyfriend duty. His girlfriend, 400-m runner Junelle Bromfield of Jamaica, asked him to pick up her spike bag from their massage therapist, who has an Airbnb near the Olympic Village, and return it to her. “So here I am at 2 a.m., waddling with a spike bag, my bag, and some toiletries,” says Lyles. “And I’m like, huh, here I am, Olympic champion, 100 meters, waddling in my girlfriend’s room with all this stuff.”
He was supposed to return to the track, spike bags and all, for the 4×100 relay tomorrow night, but he told NBC after the race that he isn’t sure at this point. He said he is leaning toward “letting Team USA do their thing.”
— with reporting by Alice Park
