Noah Lyles Tests Positive For COVID-19, Medals In 200-Meter

UPDATE:

American sprinter Noah Lyles was confirmed to have COVID-19 by American Track & Field officials after taking bronze in the 200-meter final at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday (August 8), BBC Sport reports.

--

American sprinter Noah Lyles took bronze in the 200-meter final.

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana finished with a time of 19.46, becoming the second representative of an African country to medal in the 200-meter, joining Frankie Fredericks, who won silver at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta games. USA teammate Kenny Bednarek took silver with a time of 19.62, while Lyles finished with a time of 19.70.

Lyles nearly fell to the ground and was seen receiving medical attention after the race. The American sprinter was timed at 9.79 seconds in the 100-meter race on Sunday (August 4), edging Jamaica's Kishane Thompson by a .005 second difference, to become the first American to win gold in the event since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Olympics. USA teammate Fred Keley took bronze with a time of 9.81, which also marked the first time two American teammates made the podium in the 100-meter final since Gatlin and Maurice Greene in 2004.

Lyles fell short of becoming the first sprinter to win gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter Olympic events in the same year since since Usain Bolt (Jamaica) -- who achieved the feat three times -- at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the first American to do so since Carl Lewis at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

iHeartMedia is providing 24/7 coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics broadcasting live on NBC Olympics Radio Plus and play-by-play action during live premium events on NBC Olympics Radio.