Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty
American sprinter Noah Lyles faces backlash after being spotted partying inside Paris days after his COVID 19 diagnosis.
THE 2024 The Paris Olympics concluded on Sunday (August 11). However, singing superstar Noah Lyles has been buzzing on social media after he was spotted at a video party days after revealing he had been dealing with COVID-19. Lyles, who won the men's 100m, was seen on video at L'Arc nightclub hours after the closing ceremony dancing dressed in an American flag to a Pop Smoke song. The material surprised many who expressed cancel. Lyles' diagnosis was revealed after he collapsed on the track after the men's 200m final on Thursday night, prompting him to be wheeled away.
Lyles would later share an image of a negative COVID test in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday (August 10), with the caption, “Thank God I'm Covid free.” Lyles would take bronze in the 200 meters, which he has proven to be dominant in previous track and field events, but would bow out of the men's 4×100 relay final. Team USA would later be disqualified for an invalid baton exchange, extending their medal drought – the team hasn't won gold since the 2000 Sydney Games and last medaled in 2004 with a silver at the Athens Games.
The 27-year-old confirmed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier that Tuesday, which meant he ran the 100m while ill. He wanted to run despite the diagnosis and was given permission by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. In an interview with Associated Press that day, Lyles spoke about his thoughts on the diagnosis, saying he was more concerned about the serious effects of the virus than his temperature (he has asthma), which soared to 102 degrees, according to his trainer Lance Bowman.
Lyles denied it, saying the highest point he reached was 99 degrees. “Then the asthma playing into it and making it even worse, that was our worst fear,” he said. “We were back in the medical bay down the track. Their biggest concern was that I would get bronchitis because we didn't want anything to get infected and the asthma is really starting to form. We really had to jump over it.”
