Noah Lyles needed medical attention after his disappointing finish in the 200-meter at the Olympics in Paris. The 27-year-old American sprinter is battling COVID-19 and could not catch his breath.
It actually makes his bronze medal even more impressive than a gold…
Lyles talked a lot of trash before what is supposed to be his best race. He guaranteed a victory and said that it wouldn’t be particularly close. That was not the case.
Lyles lost to Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and ‘Kung Fu Kenny’ Bednarek. He finished more than two tenths of a second back from the Olympic champion, which was a massive upset.
Lyles’ time was .4 seconds off of his personal best. That big of a gap certainly didn’t seem like a fluke, or just a bad day at the office. Especially on what is a pretty fast track in Paris. And it was at the Olympics, where heavy-flowing adrenaline typically provides an extra boost down the stretch.
It was the opposite for Lyles, who struggled to kick down the stretch and collapsed to the ground shortly after he crossed the line.
Lyles overcame severe asthma as a child and still deals with the disease today. He could not catch his breath.
The medical team rushed to his side.
He ultimately left the track in a wheelchair.
It was glaringly obvious that something wasn’t right.
Lyles wore a mask in the tunnel before each of his last two races. He lost an event as the heavy favorite. He could not breathe and needed a wheelchair. All kinds of mystery loomed over the frustrating result.
However, it is actually remarkable that Noah Lyles reached the podium at all. United States Track & Field confirmed on Thursday afternoon that its star sprinter tested positive for COVID-19 two days ago.
Lyles finished in third place at the Olympics while fighting an illness that ravages the respiratory system as someone who deals with asthma. Think about that for a second! Pretty insane.
Gold was the goal, but COVID had other plans and bronze is a really incredible accomplishment for Noah Lyles in his current condition.