The 2024 Paris Olympics has officially come to an end for “fastest man in the world” Noah Lyles.
“I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics,” Lyles, 27, said early Friday, in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “It is not the Olympics I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart. I hope everyone enjoyed the show.”
Lyles first posted the message to Instagram Thursday night, hours after the sprinter took bronze in the 200m final, a race he was carted off in a wheelchair from.
Two days before that, Lyles was diagnosed with COVID, his mother confirmed to NBC.
“Yeah, I woke up early, about 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning and I just was feeling really horrible,” Lyles said. “I knew it was more than just being sore from the [100m race]. Woke up the doctor’s, and we tested, and unfortunately, it came up that I was positive for COVID. My first thought was not to panic, thinking, ‘I’ve been in worse situations, I’ve run with worse conditions.”
U.S. sprinter Noah Lyles was unable to compete the Olympic double, but did earn a bronze in the men’s 200m for the second straight Olympic Games. Lyles, who has asthma, ran the race despite testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Reports stated Lyles also was given a yellow card for breaking a technical rule before the start of the race. The official Olympics website did not show the violation in its results of the race.
Lyles was slated to run in the men’s 4x100m relay race Friday, but will no longer compete. In addition to the bronze in the 200m, Lyles leaves the Olympics with a gold in the men’s 100-meter dash.
Read his full message below:
First I want to thank God for getting me through this entire Olympics! Second I want to congratulate @LetsileTebogo3 @kenny_bednarek and everyone else on an amazing Olympic 200m final. Finally I want to thank everyone for the supportive messages. I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics. It is not the Olympics I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart. I hope everyone enjoyed the show. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you?
See you next time
Sincerely, Your world’s fastest man for the next 4 years!
Track and field events continue Friday at the Olympics, including heptathlon and men’s and women’s 4×400 relay finals.
How many Olympians have tested positive for COVID-19 at the 2024 Olympics?
So far, at least 40 athletes have tested positive for COVID at the Paris Olympics, according to a report from the TODAY Show.
What are the COVID protocols at the 2024 Olympics?
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee told TODAY.com that it has the following protocols in place to reduce the risk of COVID among Team USA athletes:
“We implemented an infection prevention program prior to the Games (‘Don’t let a cold keep you from the gold’) that encouraged athletes to wash their hands, wear face masks when indoors during their travel from the US to Paris, etc.
“If they have an infectious disease, we will set them up with the indicated treatment/medications, and provide them with a private room so they don’t have to worry about getting their roommate sick.
“We will help with transportation so they aren’t in a bus with other athletes, and we will deliver their meals.
“We will have them wear a mask anytime they are inside and around other people.
“We will allow them to train and compete as long as they feel up to it.”
The CDC issued the following statement on its website regarding the 2024 Olympics:
“Mass gatherings are associated with unique health risks, including an increased risk for respiratory illnesses. If you plan to travel to Paris for these events, make sure you are up to date on routine and recommended vaccines, including for COVID-19.”