Several weeks after Noah Lyles tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the men’s 200m final at the Paris Olympics , fellow track star Sha'Carri Richardson appears to be taking several precautions to ensure she doesn’t succumb to the same fate.
Taking to social media on Monday, Richardson shared a selfie from the airport in which she can be seen donning a hood and black surgical facemask. The 24-year-old later shared another photo of herself at home without a mask.
By donning a face mask in public, Richardson could be trying to stay healthy while training for potential appearances in the Diamond League. Back in Paris, Lyles learned the hard way what it’s like to compete under the weather.
Earlier this month, Lyles settled for bronze in the 200m - often considered his best event - with a time of 19.70 seconds. Botswana's Letsile Tebogo took home gold in 19.46 seconds, marking an African record, while American Kenny Bednarek secured silver in 19.62.
Moments after crossing the finish line, Lyles collapsed on all fours at Stade de France while struggling to catch his breath. The 27-year-old tried to walk off under his own power, but soon after crumpled back down to one knee and was eventually escorted off in a wheelchair .
Speaking to reporters following the race, Lyles revealed that he tested positive for COVID earlier in the week. "I just was feeling really horrible. I knew it was more than just being sore from the 100,” he said while donning a mask. “I woke up the doctors and tested and unfortunately it came up positive.
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“My first thought was not to panic. I've been in worse situations. I've run with worse conditions. We just took it day by day.”
On the heels of the event, Lyles complained of feeling “quite lightheaded,” adding: “Shortness of breath and chest pain was definitely active.” Once several minutes had passed, however, he was able to regain his bearings and catch his breath.
As for Richardson, she faced no health setbacks en route to winning two medals at this year’s Olympic Games. The 24-year-old first earned silver in the women’s 100m , coming in second behind Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred at 10.87 seconds. Alongside Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry, the 24-year-old later earned gold in the 4x100m relay , with the American quartet running a season-best time of 41.78 seconds.
Following her dominant performance in Paris, Richardson took a well-deserved break from competing, opting not to take part in the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League. While the Team USA star isn’t listed as a subscriber for the 200m women’s event at the upcoming Rome Diamond League, she will likely be in attendance for at least one of the final two tournaments of the season in Zurich and Brussels.
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