Noah Lyles decided to run in the 200-meter race at the Olympics, despite testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.
The 27-year-old American athlete won the bronze medal during the race on day thirteen of the 2024 Paris Olympics Games on Thursday (August 8) in Paris, France.
Noah was seen laying down on the track and looking out of breath following the race. Staff wheeled him away on a wheelchair. He later revealed his COVID diagnosis.
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“I woke up early about 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning and I was just feeling really horrible, and I knew it was more than just being sore from the (100-meter race),” Noah told NBC. “I woke up the doctors and we tested, and unfortunately, it came out that I was positive for Covid.”
“My first thought was not to panic, you know, I’m thinking I’ve been in worse situations. I’ve run with worse conditions, I felt,” he continued. “We just took it day-by-day trying to hydrate as much, quarantined off. I definitely say that it’s taken its toll for sure, but I’ve never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and getting a bronze medal where last Olympics I was very disappointed, and this time, I couldn’t be more proud.”
Noah said he was feeling better after looking out of it following the race.
“I’ve had better days, but I’m walking around again,” he said. “I was quite light-headed after that race. Shortness of breath, chest pain, but after a while, I could catch my breath and get my wits about me. I’m a lot better now.”
Noah won the gold medal in the 100-meter race earlier in the week in a photo-finish moment.
