Noah Lyles finished in third place and then collapsed to the track.
It was a scary end to one of the speediest races at the Olympics.
Lyles ultimately received medical attention on the track and was taken away in a wheelchair for further treatment, according to the NBC broadcast.
Commentators said that Noah Lyles’ mom, Keisha Caine Bishop, had told a sideline reporter that Lyles tested positive for COVID-19 two days ago.
Despite the diagnosis, which may be complicated by his history with asthma, Lyles decided to stay in the men’s 200-meter final.
He finished in third behind Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and his fellow American, Kenny Bednarek, according to Olympics.com.
Can athletes compete with COVID-19 at the Olympics?
Olympic athletes who test positive for COVID-19 during their time in Paris are allowed to compete, per Scientific American.
While there were strict rules for testing and mask-wearing in Tokyo in 2021 and Beijing in 2022, Paris organizers decided to focus on a “return to normalcy,” the article said.
“The Paris Games ... drop all previous COVID protocols, instead approaching the disease like other respiratory illnesses such as the common cold or the flu: officials now allow athletes and teams to determine for themselves how to prevent or respond to infection,” Scientific American reported.
Noah Lyles update
NBC reported Lewis Johnson spoke with Lyles about 30 minutes after Thursday’s race.
Lyles confirmed his mom’s comment, explaining that he tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
“I woke up early at about 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I was feeling really horrible, and I knew it was more than being sore from the 100,” he said.
Lyles noted that he woke up the doctor and then tested positive for COVID-19.
“My first thought was not to panic. I’ve been in worse situations. I’ve run with worse conditions, I felt,” he said.
Lyles added that he never considered not running the 200-meter final. He said he stayed focused on staying hydrated and keeping other people safe.
He wore a mask in the prep room before taking to the track on Thursday. He also had a mask on during his interview with Johnson.
Lyles said that he hasn’t decided yet about competing in the men’s 4x100 relay with Team USA. He’s “leaning toward” dropping out, he said.
They have “more than enough speed to get the gold medal” without me, Lyles said.
Lyles won gold in the men’s 100-meter race earlier this week, as the Deseret News previously reported.