SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — 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 suffering with what The Associated Press learned was a case of COVID.
After crossing the line third for the second straight Olympics, Lyles fell to his back and eventually sat up to be tended to by medical staff. A person familiar with Lyles’ condition, who did not want to be identified, told AP was diagnosed with COVID two days before the final.
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 .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.
Lyles came into Paris having not been beaten in a 200 since that night in Tokyo, and after his win in the 100, he brought the bronze medal to the press conference, slammed it on the table and said that had been his motivation for three full years.
Now, he’ll get another one.
Thursday’s final marked the second straight night Tebogo beat him to the finish line in the Lyles’ favorite race. Lyles’ win streak ended when he finished second in the semifinal. After that one, skipped his traditional meeting with reporters to head to the medical tent. His coach said he was fine.
This time, Tebogo was leading as the sprinters reached the curve. Usually at that point, Lyles puts on his trademark close, but there was no strong finish — only a desperate push in to the line then a collapse onto the purple track.