Legendary American track star Noah Lyles has already won gold during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He backed up some amazing trash talk ahead of the Summer Games to do his thing on the track in France.
Unfortunately, Lyles run did not continue on Thursday in the 200m event. He finished with a bronze medal after guaranteeing a blowout win ahead of the event.
Medaling in the Olympics is never a bad thing. But when you’re so confident in your abilities to guarantee gold, it adds another layer to the entire situation.
After Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won gold, Lyles could be seen on the floor gasping for breath. He has battled asthma throughout his life. So, many figured that was the situation at hand when he collapsed after the race.
That was not the case. He wasn’t having an attack. Rather, it’s something many of us have dealt with over the past half-decade or so.
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Noah Lyles Medals While Dealing With Bout Of COVID-19
Lyles noted after the race that he tested positive for COVID-19. With a pre-existing condition, that explains why he was struggling following the race.
“Shortness of breath and chest pains were definitely active,” Noah Lyles said, via The Washington Post. “But after a while underneath [the stands], I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me.”
Lyles ultimately left the track in a wheelchair as medical officials helped him.
As you likely already know, those with pre-existing medical conditions are more at risk of suffering serious side effects when it comes to being diagnosed with COVID-19.
The good news? Lyles seems to be just fine after this scary incident. It’s also crazy that he was still able to medal while obviously dealing with a serious situation. Good on him.
Lyles had made the news leading up to the Summer Olympics by indicating that NBA champions are not world champions. He pissed off a lot of basketball players in the United States. Now, he’s among the most-decorated American track and field athletes of all-time.
Read more: US Track Star Noah Lyles Celebrates Gold Medal Performance With Inspirational Words for Every Kid