It was just not Noah Lyles’ day today. Having entered the Stade de France with unbridled enthusiasm, it was clear that Lyles wanted to be a double Olympic champion. However, within the next few minutes, the horrors of his past came hovering before his eyes. 19.70, his 200m timing had restricted him to another bronze, repeating Tokyo history. Moreover, post-race, it looked like a health scare required him to be carted in a wheelchair.

Yes, it seems that Lyles’ condition worsened after the 200m sprint. It remains unclear right now if it is his asthma or if he has sustained a new injury. However, either of the two rings a bell of alarm for the American phenom. And in this moment of uncertainty, fans are praying for their sprinting powerhouse, Lyles. One of them pens, “Pray for Noah 🙏 He’s human.” 

As per Lewis Johnson from the NBC Olympics and Paralympics, post-race, Lyles’ mother, Keisha Cane, was searching for him, who was found being attended to in the medical room. She further confirmed that Lyles had been diagnosed with COVID-19 two days ago. Further updates confirm that Lyles tested positive at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Paris time.

Although he kept the lid on and did not want his competitors to know he had contracted the virus, perhaps it was only the medical staff and his mother who were aware. And subsequently, he was quarantined at a hotel for the past few nights. But nothing, even being unwell, could break his resolve to partake in the race.

Fans wish for Noah Lyles’ return in all his glory

Lyles mindset was clear: he wanted to upgrade his 200m Olympic bronze from Tokyo. And nothing seemed to deter him from this goal. Even though the result did not go in his favor, one of his fans commented, “Noah Lyles probably risked his life for that race. Apparently he got diagnosed with covid two days ago, on top of him already having asthma. I pray he’s okay, seriously.”

Lyles once said that what you have does not define what you become. Despite six medical conditions—asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression—his champion’s spirit shines through. One of the fans points out that his respiratory disease and COVID can be a troublesome combination. They write, “Noah has Covid and he got asthma, I’ve lived this story pray for him🙏“

One of the fans noticed a few things and attempted to join the dots. They wrote, “Outside of coming to the track, masked, for qualifiers, Lyles had been in quarantine ever since.” Clocking a 20.08 in the semis, Lyles was milliseconds behind Letsile Tebogo on Wednesday. The fan points out that he has probably been unwell since then. Even earlier today, he entered the arena with a mask on. But the moment his name was announced, he jumped and entered the tracks, putting his struggles behind him.

Crowned the 100m Olympic champion with his 9.79 spectacle a few days ago, Lyles won his first Olympic gold medal. And that came in with a 1/1000th-second difference. However, while Lyles had been extremely confident in his 200m form, he could not replicate the same results today. Given this, a fan chimed in with,“Noah Lyles needs to pray every hour of every day and thank God for barely sneaking that 100 meter win. Coz if he didn’t the slander would’ve been generational.” What do you think of Lyles’ medical condition? Let us know below.