NOAH LYLES HAS officially withdrawn from the Olympics after he tested positive for Covid-19 two days before he ran in the men’s 200m final last night, where he was taken off the track on a wheelchair.
The sprinter told reporters yesterday that he had tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday morning, after he had won a gold medal in the 100m final on Monday.
He said the illness had “taken its toll, for sure”, but still managed to win a bronze medal in the 200m final.
Posting to X, formerly Twitter, last night, Lyles confirmed that he has officially withdrawn from the Olympics and will not race in the sprint relay competition.
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… pic.twitter.com/sfKOpLljAS
— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) August 9, 2024
“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,” he said.
The Olympics champions thanked those who supported him and the athletes who competed alongside him in the 200m final last night. “See you next time,” he added.
Unlike the Tokyo Olympics, where a Covid-19 diagnosis would automatically end an athlete’s competition, there are no policies or guidelines at the Paris games that force a competitor to withdraw.
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