KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images
It was arguably the most shocking moment of the Paris Olympic Games when Noah Lyles, the newly minted 100-meter gold medalist and the 2023 200-meter world champion, crossed the finish line for his signature event in third place.
Instead of celebrating his finish, Lyles sat on the ground, seemingly out of breath, and signaled for someone to bring water. Then, medics crowded around him and rolled Lyles off the track in a wheelchair. Soon, the news reached broadcasters that Lyles had COVID-19.
Still, Lyles was positive following Thursday's race.
"I've never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and get a bronze medal," he said. "Last Olympics, I was very disappointed. This time I couldn't be more proud."
Despite his dominance in the 200 meters in the years since the Tokyo Olympics, for Lyles, the outcome of this race was the same—a bronze medal. With this finish, Lyles joins a long line of unlucky athletes who've proved that in the world of sports, nothing is guaranteed.
Lyles began the 200-meter final as we've come to expect: with a boisterous performance. Just as he did before the 100-meter dash, when his name was called, he ran into the stadium and down the track, revving the crowd up. Unlike in the 100, however, here he lagged, finishing behind Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and teammate Kenny Bednarek.
In his post-race interview, a masked Lyles said that he had tested positive for COVID-19 two days prior to the final. "My first thought was not to panic," he said. He wore a mask, he said, quarantined as much as possible, and took the situation day by day.
The timing was awful, for sure. With this bronze, Lyles joins the likes of some of the unluckiest athletes in Olympic history, those who were destined to win but for whom circ*mstances made it impossible. Gymnast Jade Carey is just one of many examples—in Tokyo, she was slated to win the vault title, but missed her steps on her run. The once-in-a-lifetime error left her in last place. At these Olympics, swimmer Alex Walsh was set to take bronze in the 200-meter individual medley before being disqualified for an illegal turn.
It's a shame that Lyles couldn't take the win here—like with Carey, his record indicates that he should have. The sprinter is the 2023 world champion in the event and the first man since Usain Bolt to win the 100 meters and 200 meters at the same world championship. In total, he has six world championship gold medals.
His confidence wasn't unfounded when, after winning his 200-meter heat, he told the press, "I am going to win the [final] at 120m, I am going to win at 150m, and from there I am going to take the race to the line." Expectations were high, and history was on the line: Had he won the 200-meter race, Lyles would have become the first American man to complete the double since Carl Lewis in 1984.
But the race went much the same way as it had in Tokyo, where he finished behind Canada's Andre De Grasse and Bednarek. Lyles has been very vocal about his struggles during that time—over the course of the pandemic and the George Floyd protests, he suffered from depression and anxiety, both of which hampered his ability to perform.
The lack of a crowd in Tokyo also kept him from doing his best. "I didn't feel a lot of joy last time I was at the Olympics," Lyles said following his 100-meter heats. "This time, I have a lot of joy, a lot of excitement. It's a wonderful crowd, and I am ready to perform for them."
At these Olympics, it appears that he's done a 180. Like many other athletes at these Olympics, Lyles has been very vocal about his mental health struggles, as well as his strength in overcoming them. "I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and Depression," he wrote on X following his 100-meter win. "But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!"
Here, he presents as unapologetically his unique self, something that he's hinted fuels his wins. After the 100-meter win, he told the media, "My therapist said, 'You need to let go, be yourself.' It was the energy that I'm looking for." He paints his nails—he had "ICON" written on them during the opening ceremony—and is open about his love of fashion, Legos and anime. He's confident and blunt, something not everyone appreciates.
In the respect that Lyles was out to get attention here, to turn eyes toward himself and the sport, and to become one of the most popular athletes of these Olympics, Lyles was victorious. That's something. Not to mention, he managed to win an Olympic medal despite coming down with a serious illness, in an incredible feat of athleticism.
Hopefully, Lyles, who also has asthma, will make a swift and full recovery. He announced that he won't be competing in the 4x100 meter relay final on Friday.
In any case, the 27-year-old still has a bright future ahead in sprinting and will likely make a bid for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. With any luck, COVID-19 won't make the trip.
