Fans Accuse U.S. Sprinter Noah Lyles of Faking COVID Diagnosis

Noah Lyles may have just made the quickest recovery from COVID-19 anyone has ever seen.

Forty-eight hours after claiming to test positive for COVID during a post-race interview, which he attributes to why he only won bronze in the men’s 200-meter final, Lyles posted a negative test on X, claiming to be COVID free.

The optics of collapsing after a race and leaving in a wheelchair on Thursday and suddenly being healed by Saturday didn’t sit right with the social media crowd, many of whom accused Lyles of faking having COVID to have an excuse for losing to Letsile Tobogo in the 200m final.

Despite testing positive Tuesday morning and battling several symptoms including aches, chills and a sore throat, Lyles said he wasn’t going to let his diagnosis keep him from competing on Thursday (Olympians are allowed to still compete in events with a positive COVID diagnosis.)

“I still wanted to run; they said it was still possible,” Lyles told reporters. “So we just stayed away from everybody and just tried to take it round by round. … I was quite lightheaded after that race, and the shortness of breath and chest pain was definitely active, but after a while underneath, I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. I'm doing a lot better now.”

Lyles ended his 2024 Olympic journey with two medals — gold in the 100-meter final and bronze in the 200m final — bringing his career medal count to three (he won bronze in the 200m final at the Tokyo Games.)