Alexandria, Virginia native Noah Lyles capped off an eventful Olympics run with a gold medal, bronze medal, and COVID-19.
In a race for the ages, Lyles clinched the gold medal in the 100 meters at the Olympics with a personal record of 9.784 seconds. The win ended a 20-year drought for the United States, marking the first American gold medal in the event since 2004.
Like Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, and Usain Bolt, Noah Lyles sought to join a short list of men who won gold in the 100 and 200 meters of the same Olympics. However, before he took the field for the 200-meter final, Lyles contracted COVID-19.
Despite having the virus, Lyles chose to run the race, taking home the bronze medal in 19.70 seconds. The disappointing finish capped off his Olympics stay as he pulled out the 4×100 relay final for Team USA.
Noah Lyles wins Gold in 100m.
Lyles got off to a slow start in the 100-meters but fought back into the race in a close photo finish.
The finish did come with controversy over the winner, as photo and video evidence appeared to show Kishane Thompson’s white track shoes crossing the finish line first. Olympic rules state that the torso, defined from the clavicle down, must cross the finish line first to determine the victor.
This crucial detail secured Lyles’s victory.
In a post-race press conference interview, an elated Lyles expressed his ambition and future aspirations.
“I want my own shoe,” He declared, per Citius Mag. “I want my own trainer. Dead serious. There’s no money in spikes. I feel like, for how many medals we get, the notoriety we bring back, the fact that that hasn’t happened, that’s crazy to me.”
COVID shaped 200 meters
Lyles admitted to testing positive on Tuesday morning and had symptoms he’d received before testing positive in previous years.
“I woke up in the middle of the night just feeling really chills, aching, sore throat,” Lyles explained, per Coley Harvey of ESPN. “And those were kind of a lot of the symptoms I’ve always had right before getting COVID, and I was just like, ‘I need to test this one.'”
He later quarantined in a nearby hotel, away from the Olympic Village. Lyles still decided to compete in the 200-meter race.
“I was going to compete regardless,” Lyles said, per Chris Bumbaca of USA. “If I didn’t make it to the (200) finals, that would’ve been the sign not to compete,” per Chris Bumbaca of USA Today. Lyles took any legal drugs that could keep him qualified for the post-race drug testing.
He wanted to keep his test results secret and decided to distance himself from other participants of the 200-meter race so he couldn’t infect anyone with COVID.
Lyles started the race with a strong start and when he got to the curve. He boosted with speed and managed to stay in third behind his teammate Kenny Bednarek, who won the silver, and in front of his other teammate Erriyon Knighton, who finished 4th.
After the race, Lyles lay on the ground, breathing heavily. He was later given medical attention before being carted off the track in a wheelchair. His mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, rushed to him in concern but was notified that he was fine.
Noah Lyles unable to compete in 4×100 relay
Lyles later received his bronze medal on Friday. The athlete also posted on Instagram wishing good luck for the 4×100 relay race.
“Although I won’t be able to go to war with y’all [I know] you will come out with the victory! Good luck guys. Go show them the dominance of Team USA! @teamusa.”
Unfortunately, his absence proved detrimental for Team USA in the relay. The team was disqualified for an illegal baton pass. Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek collided during a rough exchange between the first and second leg. The team fell behind by a large gap from the lead pack. It didn’t matter. Team USA was disqualified because of the exchange outside the takeover zone.
The disappointing finish marked the fifth consecutive Olympics with Team USA failing to medal for the 4×100 relay.
Still, Noah Lyles came away with two medals. He brought gold back to the United States for the first time in two decades in the 100 meters. He also highlighted his growing status as one of the sport’s brightest stars.
Lyles is a polarizing figure in large due to his comments about the NBA. Still, he deserved to be celebrated as America’s best male track and field sprinter.
