Noah Lyles says his Olympics are likely over after racing with COVID: ‘Never been prouder of myself’

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Something didn't make sense when Noah Lyles, the heavy favorite to win the men's 200-meter final, finished in third.

It was the same result he got three years ago in Tokyo, but he's massively improved in the event with a personal best of 19.31 (the third-fastest ever) and winning the world championships in 2022 and 2023 (he also won in 2019).

However, Lyles settled for bronze, and after cameras caught him seeking medical attention after the race, along with needing a wheelchair to head back into the tunnel, it was revealed that the 27-year-old was diagnosed with COVID earlier in the week.

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Bronze medalist Noah Lyles of Team USA wears a mask after competing in the men's 200-meter final at the Olympic Games in Paris on Aug. 8, 2024. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

"I woke up early, about 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and I was just feeling really horrible. I knew it was more than being sore from the 100," Lyles told NBC. He had won gold in that race and was looking to become the first American to pull off the Olympic double since Carl Lewis in 1984.

Despite not getting the result he wanted, Lyles, whose "dream goal" in these games was to set a new world record in the event, is taking it positively.

"My first thought was not to panic, thinking I've been in worse situations. I've run with worse conditions, I felt … " he said. "I'd definitely say it's taken its toll, for sure, but I've never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and get a bronze medal. Last Olympics, I was very disappointed. This time, I couldn't be more proud."

Noah Lyles is shown after competing in the