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Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles made the unpopular decision to race in 200m despite being ill, a decision that was backed by the US Olympic and Paralympic leadership.
The head of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sarah Hirshland has said she was 100% comfortable with Noah Lyles' decision to compete in the 200m after testing positive for COVID-19 at the Paris Olympic Games.
The Olympic 100m champion Lyles didn't publicly reveal he'd tested positive for the virus until after he won the 200m bronze. It was the first loss in three years for the American favorite in that event, who was trying to become the first sprinter since Usain Bolt to sweep the 100m and 200m.
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'It is not the Olympics I dreamed of' - Noah Lyles admits regrets about losing 200m title to sensation Letsile Tebogo
Olympic 100mchampion Lyles was favourite to win 200m but only settled for bronze after reportedly running the race with Covid-19.
Hirshland added that protocols were put in place for Lyles after he tested positive and he was closely monitored by USA Track. She said whether or not Lyles raced was left for him to decide.
"We gave Noah as much flexibility in his own choices as we could. He had every opportunity to say, ‘I don’t want to compete. I don't feel good enough to compete, or, I don't want to compete," Hirshland told The Independent.
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Allyson, the multiple Olympic champion always struggled to get his out-of-shape body back on track after the offseason.
Although Lyles, a three-time world champion finished a respectable third in the race while ill, collapsed. He finally stood up and wobbled toward the medics, signaling for a cup of water. Afterwards, the 27-year-old wore a mask when addressing reporters.
Hirshland was pleased with Lyles bronze, terming it an incredible achievement but at the same time, she didn't regret the decision to allow the four-time Diamond League champion to race.
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Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan was suffering from exhaustion and doubted her ability to clinch gold in Paris.
"I think it's extraordinary that he won a bronze medal when he's not 100%. He's an incredible athlete and he wanted to show the world that,” Hirshland said before adding, "I have no concerns about what happened there. We did that the right way."
The last time Lyles lost the 200m was at the Tokyo Olympics, when he took bronze and said he'd been struggling with his mental health during the pandemic.
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