Noah Lyles has announced the end of his 2024 Olympic journey after testing positive for COVID-19.
Despite the diagnosis, Lyles pushed through and competed in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races, managing to secure medals in both events.
During the 200-meter race on Thursday night, Lyles, who was widely expected to take home the gold, settled for a bronze medal. The surprising result was later put into perspective when his coach, Lance Brauman, revealed that Lyles was battling a 102-degree fever just before the race.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Brauman expressed his admiration for Lyles’s resilience. Given the circumstances, he considered the bronze medal finish in the 200 meters to be a remarkable achievement, especially since Lyles had been the favorite to win gold. Brauman highlighted that Lyles’s performance, despite his high fever, was nothing short of impressive.
“Those guys raced great. But to get a bronze medal in 19.70 with a temperature of about 102, that wasn’t too bad,” Brauman remarked, emphasizing the magnitude of Lyles’s accomplishment under the circumstances.
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Brauman also compared the bronze in the 200 meters to Lyles’s gold medal in the 100 meters, acknowledging that the gold was perhaps the most significant achievement of these Olympics for Lyles. “It’s hard to replace a gold medal in the 100 meters at the Olympic Games… that one was probably the most important medal,” Brauman said. He noted that despite the challenges, Lyles would likely find deep satisfaction in his bronze medal, given the adversity he overcame to earn it.
Lyles leaves Paris with a gold in the 100 meters and a bronze in the 200 meters, a commendable haul considering the circumstances. Looking ahead, Brauman assured that Lyles would be in prime condition for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where the world can expect to see him at his best once more.
Reflecting on Lyles’s 200-meter performance, Brauman didn’t hold back in describing just how ill Lyles was. “I mean, he was sick,” Brauman stated bluntly. “People are going to say whatever they want, and that’s fine, but the dude was sick.”
In the end, Lyles’s perseverance and determination in the face of illness are likely to be remembered as one of the more remarkable stories of the 2024 Olympics, showcasing not just his athletic talent but also his unyielding spirit.
