SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles lost the Olympic 200 meters Thursday, falling to Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, then being tended to by medics who carted him off the track in a wheelchair. Later, wearing a mask as he spoke with reporters, Lyles said he had COVID-19.
After crossing the line third for the second straight Olympics, Lyles fell to his back and writhed around in pain, staying down for nearly 30 seconds before getting up, asking for water and getting to the wheelchair.
It’s the second straight Olympics the virus has played a major role in Lyles’ trip to the Games. He also won the bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, and he has said the empty stands and the year-long delay before the Games led to depression that hampered his performance and inspired his road to Paris.
Tebogo, 21, led wire-to-wire and won in 19.46 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in history, but 0.15 slower than Lyles’ top time. Kenny Bednarek finished in 19.62 for his second straight silver, and Lyles, four nights after winning a close-as-can-be 100, ran the curve in 19.70.
The first sign something might be wrong came a night earlier when Lyles finished second in a lackluster semifinal, then left the track without talking to reporters to head to the medical tent. His coach said he was fine.
It became clear he was not when Tebogo and Bednarek reached the curve in the final.
Lyles was trailing as they headed into the homestretch, which is usually where he puts on a trademark closing finish that has always been the best part of this race. This time — nothing. Only a desperate push to the line then a collapse onto the purple track.