Noah Lyles may have tested positive for Covid-19 last Tuesday, but that didn’t stop him from taking the bronze in the Olympic 200 metres sprint on Thursday.
The US athlete, who suffers from asthma, left the track after the finish in a wheelchair and said the illness definitely affected his performance.
Ahead of the race, he said he had been more concerned about the virus’ severe symptoms than his temperature.
“Anytime I’ve gotten Covid, it’s never been about the temperatures, it’s always been about the body aches, the chills, the headaches, the cold. And then asthma joining in on that and making it even worse,” he said.
He was speaking on Sunday during an interview about his new Visa campaign involving his mother, Keisha Caine Bishop.
“When I was back in the medical bay underneath the track, their biggest concern was me getting bronchitis, because we didn’t want something to get infected and the asthma really starts to take form,” he said.
The 27-year-old had a whirlwind Olympic experience, winning the gold in the 100 metres by 0.005 seconds, before his decision to race in the 200 metres.
He faced some criticism about his participating in the race and possibly infecting others, but the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee had no issues with Lyles competing.
Lyles did pull out of the 4x100m and 4x400m relays he was due to take part in.
“Of course, this is not how I envisioned my Paris Olympics, but I’m just as proud of myself as I would have been if I obtained four, three gold medals. You know, grabbing the hundred was, I think, the most important thing.”
He says he’s used to criticism about being overly confident, but says many don’t understand what he’s had to overcome to feel worthy, including dyslexia and depression.
“I hope the message they got is no matter what obstacles or hurdles that you have and you’re facing and you don’t believe that you’re going to be stuck with them forever,” he said.
Lyles said people should not underestimate what they can accomplish as they go through their lives.
“Your goals should not be limited to the situation that you’re in because you can always shoot for more,” he said.
He said he’s pushed through with the help of his family, particularly his mother, and is now looking to make a bigger name for himself at he branches out into other activities.
In addition to preparing for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September, he is looking to branch out in the next year into other fields including fashion and music.