BREAKING NEWS: Noah Lyles’ 2024 Paris Olympics are OVER, the American sprinter says after revealing COVID diagnosis – ‘See you next time’ | HO 

Noah Lyles has revealed that he’s likely done competing in the Paris Olympics after the American sprinter battled through COVID to finish third in the 200m final on Thursday.

Lyles, who picked up a gold in the 100m earlier in the Games, looked set to compete in the 4x100m relay on Friday but has seemingly ruled himself out.

He wrote on Instagram, ‘…I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics. It is not the Olympic I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart. I hope everyone enjoyed the show. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you? See you next time.’

Lyles used the earlier portion of his post to thank fans for their support and congratulate Letsile Tebogo and USA teammate Kenny Bednarek on their gold and silver medal wins respectively.

‘First I want to thank God for getting me through this entire Olympics! Second I want to congratulate @tebogo_letsile_ , @kenny_bednarek and everyone else on an amazing Olympic 200m final,’ he wrote.

Noah Lyles ran the men’s 200m final in Paris with COVID before bowing out of the Games

Lyles was clearly struggling for breath after finishing third in the event on Thursday

‘Finally I want to thank everyone for the supportive messages.’

Lyles’ post was met with more messages of support as American tennis star Coco Gauff commented ‘unreal’ with a gold medal emoji.

Team USA fencer Miles Chamley-Watson also commented ‘keep being a [star] bruv.’

Earlier in the evening, Lyles had at least left the door open to competing in the 4×100 relay, but admitted he was leaning towards sitting out.

‘At the moment I don’t know, I’m feeling more on the side of letting Team USA do their thing,’ he said. ‘They have proven they can handle it without me.’

Lyles labored to a third-place finish in Thursday’s 200m final before it was revealed that he was battling COVID.

The American sprinter was placed in a wheelchair and looked visibly out of breath following the race.

He later explained to NBC that he woke up  on Tuesday morning ‘feeling really horrible.’

Lyles lays on the track after the men’s 200m final on Thursday at the Stade de France

‘I knew it was more than being sore from the 100,’ he continued. ‘My first thought was not to panic, I’ve been in worse situations, I’ve been in worse conditions.

‘I took it day by day, tried to hydrate as much. It would say it has taken its toll, for sure, but I have never been more proud of myself coming out here and getting a bronze.’

Track legend Michael Johnson questioned Lyles’ decision to compete with COVID, saying on the BBC: ‘Very bizarre, Covid is still a dangerous disease. It is just bizarre, the whole thing is really weird.

‘There is going to be all of this thing with the Noah haters out there – and he set himself up for it – there are going to be people out there saying it’s not real and he’s faking or whatever.

‘But putting that aside, having Covid and still coming out here and being in close proximity with other people – I know there probably is not a policy I guess at these Games for that – but morally I’m not sure about it.’

Lyles (back left) crossed the line in third place, despite being the red-hot favorite for the race

The American needed to be wheeled away in the moments after the race in shocking scenes

Notably, Lyles later said that the other competitors were unaware of his diagnosis: ‘We tried to keep it close to our chest. The medical staff, my coach and my mom knew.

‘We didn’t want everybody to go into a panic. We wanted to be able to compete. We wanted to be able to make it discreet as possible and you don’t want to tell your competitors you are sick. Why would you give them an edge?’

On Friday, Lyles’ foes now won’t have to worry about him during the 4×100 relay, as Team USA looks to add to its gold medal tally.

Through Thursday, the United States is leading the Games in both total medals and golds, with 103 overall medals and 30 first-place finishes.

China are just behind in that second category, with 29 golds, while Australia are third with an impressive 18.