PARIS– Asthma didn’t stop Noah Lyles from facing the 200 meters at the Paris Olympicseven after testing positive for COVID-19.
Despite fears of bronchitis and conflicting reports about his fever, Lyles won the bronze medal just two days after his positive test. He was more concerned about the severe symptoms of the virus than his temperature, as his coach Lance Brauman stated. rose to 102 degrees.
“Whenever I had COVID, it was never because of the temperatures. It was always about body aches, chills, headaches and colds,” Lyles told The Associated Press on Sunday. He spoke during an interview about his new Visa campaign involving his mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, who narrated a 30 second roll with your son.
Lyles said his temperature did not exceed 99 degrees. The only reason he would have given up is if his bronchitis symptoms had gotten worse.
“Then asthma added to that and made it even worse, that was our biggest fear,” he said. “We were back in the medical wing under the runway. Their biggest concern was that I would get bronchitis because we didn’t want something to get infected and the asthma to really start to take shape. We really had to overcome it.”
Lyles added: “If that were the case, I would probably have to go to the hospital, for sure.”
During the Paris OlympicsLyles, 27, had a turbulent experience. He became the the fastest man in the world in the 100 meters before his decision to run in the 200 meters. He faced some criticism about his participation in the race and possibly infecting others, but the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee had no problem with Lyles competing.
Lyle embraced becoming an antihero of sorts. He’s used to hearing criticism about being overly confident, but notes that many don’t understand his journey to improving his self-esteem.
Along with asthma, Lyles said he dealt with dyslexia, anxiety, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“These are all prime targets for bullying,” he said. “I was being bullied at school. It was very difficult and I was already not doing well because I am not a traditional student. It was very difficult to go through that. Going through the school system, I felt like an idiot. I felt like none of my gifts that I have now were worth anything.”
Lyles overcame the skeptics, building himself up with the help of his family – especially his mother. Even before her son’s Olympic medals, she was proud of him.
“It’s not the critic that counts because it’s always easy to be critical,” she said. “I know people see his confidence as arrogance, but what do you want people to do? I feel sad for those people who feel they need to criticize someone who has big goals and publicize them.”
His mother said, “It’s better to have goals and set them into motion and not achieve them, than to sit there your whole life and wonder, ‘What if?’”
Lyles often follows his mother’s advice when skeptics speak his name.
“You’re still going to count on me to win the day, aren’t you?” he asked. “As my mother said, the higher you climb the stairs, the more your panties show. People will have opinions. … But everyone who’s ever met me leaves saying, ‘Oh my God, I feel so inspired.'”
Lyles has since tested negative for COVID-19 and is now looking to make a bigger name for himself. He will still be preparing a lot for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, in September, but next year he intends to diversify into other opportunities, such as fashion, music, buying a new house and taking advantage of his relationship with track and field athlete Junelle. Bromfield.
“I’m excited to see where the road takes me,” he said. “And to be honest, I’m also excited to see God’s plans, because I can only think so far. But he thought much further than I ever could.”
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