"Probably one of my favorites"- Noah Lyles weighs in on winning the bronze medal at Paris Olympics despite criticism for losing top spot

Noah Lyles recently addressed the criticism he received for winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, showcasing his pride in what he had achieved. Lyles secured two medals, including a gold and a silver at the Paris Games.

The American sprinter patted himself on the back for his hard-earned victory in the men's 200m at the Paris Olympics. Lyles clocked a time of 19.70 seconds to grab a bronze medal in the event after crossing the finish line behind Letsile Tebogo and fellow American Kenny Bednarek, who posted 19.46 and 19.62 seconds, respectively.

Lyles, who set his sights on securing four gold medals at the French capital, faced criticism after missing out on a gold medal in the 200m event. However, unfazed by the backlash, he took pride in his accomplishment, as he earned the victory while battling COVID-19.

"It’s probably one of my favorites," he said about the bronze medal. "It’s so crazy. The last Olympics, I got bronze and I was so defeated and then this year I grabbed the gold in the 100-meter but again grabbed the bronze in the 200-meter and that was the hardest medal I ever had to fight for. I felt so accomplished because I felt like it was only something that I could truly do." (Via The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Three years before the 2024 Games, Lyles bagged his first Olympic bronze medal in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics. Back then, he clocked 19.74 to finish behind Andre De Grasse and Bednarek.

"I knew I wasn’t 100 percent" - Noah Lyles reflects on running the 200m race at the Paris Olympics while being COVID-19 positive

Noah Lyles before competing in the men's 200m final during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Photo via Getty Images)

Noah Lyles also looked back on his 200m event at the Paris Games, where he competed while suffering from COVID-19. In the same interview, he expressed that although he knew he wasn't in the best of health; he pushed through, showing remarkable resilience and determination.

"I knew I wasn’t 100 percent," he said. "I knew I was going into an uphill battle. Despite that, I was going to try anyway because tomorrow is never promised. While trying to make sure everyone else’s Olympic moment was not ruined, I decided that I was going to go out there and protect myself and them and give it my all."

Apart from the bronze medal, Noah Lyles also grabbed a gold medal in the men's 100m after clocking a stunning time of 9.97 (.784) seconds.