Alexandria native Noah Lyles, who came in first in a photo-finish in the 100-meter dash at the Paris Olympics, finished third in the 200-meter final on Thursday.
Lyles ran the race despite testing positive for COVID-19, he said while wearing a mask after the race. Before the race, he had on a mask before being introduced. The Paris Olympics scrapped COVID-19 protocols and mask use has been limited.
After taking the bronze medal with a time of 19.70, 27-year-old Lyles was breathing heavily. The runner, who has a history of asthma, needed medical attention and had to be taken off the track by wheelchair.
Noah Lyles, who went to what’s now Alexandria City High School, wanted to become the first American man in 40 years to win both the 100-meter and 200-meter races. He had been confident he would win the 200-meter race. He’s run it before in 19.31 seconds at the 2022 World Championships. In the Olympic trials in June, he ran it in 19.53.
Letsile Tebogo, 21, of Botswana won his country’s first gold medal with a time of 19.46 seconds in the 200-meter final. American Kenny Bednarek picked up silver with a time of 19.62 seconds.
Feature image by Iliya Mitskavets/stock.adobe.com
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