Viewers of the Olympics believe they noticed something unusual about Noah Lyles before he ran the 200m final.
The American sprinter, who was one of the favorites for the 200m Olympic final on Thursday, August 8, had already secured gold in the 100m final on Sunday, August 4, with a time of 9.784 seconds, narrowly winning by just 0.005 seconds.
This victory silenced his critics, especially after his bold statement about becoming world champion and his critique of American sports for awarding themselves 'world titles' in national leagues.
However, in the 200m final, Lyles finished third, earning a bronze medal for Team USA.
The 27-year-old completed the race in 19.70 seconds, 0.17 seconds off his season best, which still wouldn’t have been enough to surpass gold medalist Letsile Tebogo, who finished in 19.46 seconds.
It was later revealed that Lyles had been battling an illness, which was not disclosed until after the race. Just minutes after the 200m final, it was confirmed that Lyles had tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday morning.
This explained his condition as he left the track, requiring medical attention and being taken away in a wheelchair.
While there are no regulations preventing athletes with Covid-19 from competing, Lyles chose to race as long as he felt capable. Following the event, Tebogo remarked that he was not suited to be the face of athletics, unlike Lyles, whom he described as more "arrogant and loud," via The Independent.
However, African reporters defended Tebogo, suggesting that his comments were misinterpreted due to English being his second language, and that he likely meant to praise the positive energy of the 100m gold medalist.
Lyles exhibited that energy before the 200m final, as he often does, by sprinting across the track in front of his competitors when announced.
While fans in the stadium were excited and applauded him, some believed he was overly confident.
One person commented on X: "He is so easy to dislike," while another warned: "Never celebrate too early." A third added: "Wasted energy that should have been saved for the race. I hope he’s humble now."
Despite the criticism, Lyles spoke about how the Covid-19 diagnosis impacted his performance: "I've definitely had better days, but I'm back on my feet. I felt lightheaded after the race, and the chest pain was quite severe.
"Eventually, I caught my breath and regained my composure. I’m feeling much better now. It definitely affected my performance."
Lyles was scheduled to compete in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays today and tomorrow but announced that the 200m final would mark the end of his 2024 Olympics.
