After testing positive for COVID-19, Noah Lyles’ participation in the Paris Olympics has officially ended.
Lyles, who was scheduled to compete in the 4×100-meter relay for Team USA on Friday, announced on social media that he would not compete in the remainder of the Paris Olympics.
Noah Lyles has announced that he will not participate in the rest of the #Olympic Games in Paris. pic. twitter. com/whkGOImuEF
Lyles’ positive test came after he failed to finish in the men’s 200m final on Thursday, finishing in third position to win a bronze medal. After the race, the 100-meter gold medalist struggled to catch his breath and had to be wheeled off the track.
“I tested positive around five o’clock Tuesday morning,” Lyles said in the combined media area while wearing a black KN9five mask, according to ESPN’s Coley Harvey. “I woke up in the middle of the night feeling chills, aches and a sore throat. And those were the kind of symptoms I had right before I got COVID, and I thought, ‘I have to check this one out. ‘”
After the positive result, Lyles quarantined at a hotel near the Olympic Village and obtained medical treatment. He said he kept his diagnosis a secret for several reasons.
“First of all, we didn’t need everyone to panic; we wanted them to compete,” Lyles said. “And then, secondly, we tried to make it as discreet as possible. And you never need to tell the competition. “Why would you give them a credit over you?
Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won the gold medal after setting an African record of 19. 46 in the 200 meters. Kenny Bednarek, Lyles’ teammate on the U. S. team, won the silver medal.
Courtney Lindsey replaced Lyles in the anchor game in Team USA’s 4×100 semifinal win on Thursday, so she would likely fill the spot vacated by Lyles in Friday’s final.