Lyles’ bid for Olympic sprint double, wrecked by Covid

Noah Lyles said he was “proud” to win 200m bronze after being hit by Covid-19 wrecked his bid to become the first man since Usain Bolt, to complete an individual Olympic sprint double. The American, claimed the 100m title by five-thousandths of a second in a historic final on Sunday.

But just four days later he was helped off the track in a wheelchair as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo took the 200m crown, with Lyles having tested positive for the virus early on Tuesday morning.

He kept the positive test result a secret from his rivals and emerged for the final, with his trademark exuberance, bouncing onto the track. But after the race he conceded Covid “definitely affected his performance”.