WATCH: Noah Lyles gets taken out in wheelchair after winning 200m bronze while suffering from COVID-19

By Anirudh

Modified Aug 08, 2024 19:38 GMT

Noah Lyles, who has tested positive for COVID-19, had to be taken out in a wheelchair after his 200-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

On Thursday evening (August 8), Lyles could not repeat his 100 meters heroics, finishing third with 19.70 seconds to take home the bronze medal. Immediately after the event, news trickled out that the sprinter was suffering from the coronavirus.

And not long after, the 27-year-old was seen lying down on the ground catching his breath. He was later wheeled off the track as questions about his fitness and 200m participation began to increase on the internet.

Watch the video of Lyles being taken off in a wheelchair below:

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Michael Johnson: "Noah Lyles is probably not in danger of anything by racing"

Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 Olympic Games - Day 13 - Athletics - Source: Getty

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson has opined that Noah Lyles competes in the 200 meters final at the Paris Olympics after being cleared by the doctors.

Before the event, Noah Lyles was spotted wearing a mask while entering the track at the Stade de France. There were not any signs of sickness, as he looked to be in the zone for the race.

In fact, the American was quick out of the blocks and even took the bend well. However, he couldn’t maintain his pace as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo gradually pulled away to finish with a time of 19.46 seconds to claim the gold medal. Lyles’ compatriot Kenneth Bednarek made a late surge over the final 50m to clock 19.62 seconds and take home the silver.

Johnson, who is working with BBC in Paris, has stated that Lyles was most probably given the go-ahead from the medics to take part in the 200m.

"He certainly isn’t carrying an injury because you can’t do this with an injury, you can’t run 19.70. If there’s anything, there’s some sort of illness that has zapped his energy from the ability to actually carry that speed all the way through," he said. (via BBC)

"[The medics] would've given him the OK to race, he's probably not in danger of anything by racing other than being 100 percent and able to perform the way that he would want to," he added.

Lyles, who was expected to team up with Bednarek for the men’s 4x100 relay final on Saturday, is now a doubt for the event. The Americans managed to qualify for the finals without his participation earlier on Thursday.