"I was basically the hottest thing walking around" - Noah Lyles opens up about his popularity during Paris Olympics amid COVID-19 detection

Noah Lyles opened up about his 200m heartbreak at the Paris Olympics and how being a popular athlete in the Olympic Village, with everyone trying to talk to him, possibly resulted in his COVID-19 diagnosis. Lyles took his debut gold in the 100m at the 2024 Games.

Noah Lyles' 100m finals feat finished him just five-thousandths of a second behind Jamaican sprinter, Kishane Thompson. After clinching his debut Olympic gold, the three-peat star took the stage for the 200m but earned just the bronze. It later came to light that he ran with COVID-19.

Shortly after his 2025 New Balance Grand Prix stint, he sat with Toure on his podcast and expressed how he was one of the most popular athletes in the Olympic Village. Therefore, getting infected wasn't unusual. He also shared that he tried to avoid contact but someone or the other always stopped him for pictures, or groups of people end up surrounding him.

"The crazier part is how much I wasn't interacting with people. I was constantly trying to put myself in situations where I wasn't around people. I was basically the hottest thing walking around. Everybody wanted to talk to me. I couldn't take two feet without somebody stopping me, trying to take a picture. Or when I was moving around, crowds were forming." (20:40 onwards)

Lyles emerged as the most successful track athlete at the 2023 World Championships. He won the 100m and 200m besides anchoring the 4x100m relay team to the pole podium. His third 200m World title placed him behind world record holder Usain Bolt as he surpassed two-time 200m World gold medalists, Calvin Smith and Michael Johnson.

Noah Lyles expressed pride in himself after clinching 200m bronze at the 2024 Summer Games

Noah Lyles at the Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 13 - (Source: Getty)

Noah Lyles couldn't soar to an Olympic sprint double in Paris 2024. However, with deteriorating health, he finished third behind Letsile Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek before collapsing on the track in the 200m finals. Lyles won the 200m bronze in Tokyo but the same in Paris didn't feel like a loss.

Reflecting on that, he said:

"I've never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and getting a bronze medal. Last Olympics I was very disappointed [in bronze]... and this time I couldn't be more proud." (via post-race interview)

Noah Lyles was ruled out of the remaining 2024 season races following his Paris Olympic setback. He has since made several event appearances, gotten engaged to Junelle Bromfield, and bought a new house, amongst other personal achievements.