COVID-battling Noah Lyles Clinches 3rd as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo Triumphs in 200m

The newly crowned World’s Fastest Man attempted to make history in the 200 meters.

PARIS, France — Noah Lyles lost the Olympic 200 meters on Thursday, falling to Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. After the race, Lyles was attended to by medics and carted off the track in a wheelchair. He later revealed to reporters, behind a mask, that he had COVID-19.

Lyles, who finished third for the second consecutive Olympics, collapsed in pain after crossing the line. He remained on the ground for nearly 30 seconds before getting up and asking for water. Eventually, he was taken away in a wheelchair.

“It definitely was an effect,” Lyles said. “But I mean, to be honest, I’m more proud of myself than anything for coming out and getting the bronze medal with COVID.”

Meanwhile, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her world record in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing in 50.37 seconds. This achievement marked another Olympic victory for McLaughlin-Levrone, who secured her second straight gold medal. American Anna Cockrell finished 1.5 seconds behind, taking second place, while Femke Bol came in third.

This second gold for McLaughlin-Levrone coincided with another instance where the virus has significantly impacted Lyles’ Olympic journey. He also won bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, where empty stands and delays led to depression that affected his performance.

Lyles tested positive for COVID-19 early Tuesday morning and entered quarantine immediately. “I still wanted to run,” he noted. “They said it was possible.”

The U.S. track federation, alongside the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, stated that they adhered to all the necessary guidelines. “After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight,” the statement read. “We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely.”

The men’s 4×100 relay, scheduled for Friday, counts on Lyles running the anchor leg, potentially gunning for a third gold medal in Paris. However, as of late Thursday, the final decision was yet to be made. “I want to be very honest and transparent, and I’m going to let them make the decision,” Lyles said, estimating his condition at 90-95%.

In the 200 meters, Tebogo, 21, led from start to finish, clocking in at 19.46 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in history. Kenny Bednarek secured silver for the second straight time with 19.62 seconds, while Lyles, merely days after a close 100-meter win, managed 19.70 seconds.

The first hint that something was amiss came the night before when Lyles performed poorly in the semifinals. His coach insisted he was fine, but it was evident when Tebogo and Bednarek pulled ahead in the final.

Usually known for his finishing sprint, Lyles could not muster his signature closing strength this time. Instead, he staggered across the finish line and collapsed.

“To be honest, I knew if I wanted to come out here and win, I had to give everything I had from the get-go. I didn’t have any time to save energy. So that was kind of the strategy for today,” Lyles said.