Lyles had finished in third place in the race, which he had run despite having tested positive for Covid-19, but fell to the ground shortly after he crossed the line.
His coach, Lance Brauman, later told AP that the athlete’s temperature was 102 degrees when he attempted to complete the double by going for gold in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints.
Lyles was then wheeled away by medics and was seen sitting on the sidelines with Olympics staff tending to him.
Staff tended to Lyles on the sidelines. Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images
His mom, Keisha Caine Bishop, has since spoken out to claim that security had refused her pleas to call a doctor for her son as the scary scene unfolded.
Sharing a photo of him lying on the ground, she wrote on Instagram: “This was one of the scariest moments of my life!
“Watching my son hold his chest gasping for air while the stadium security refused to call a Dr. as I begged them to send him help.
“They also refused to do anything to help. They totally ignored me! No parent should ever have to experience this feeling of helplessness!”
She added: “However, I want to thank the @nbcolympics team for helping me during this moment. Thank you for seeing me & my son as human beings and not just another story.
“Words cannot express my gratitude for your empathy, professionalism, and kindness. Also thank you @usatf staff who let me cry on their shoulders.”
Bishop concluded her post by writing: “To the security team, I pray if your loved one ever needs help, they get treated better than you treated us. I also thank God he is getting better.”
Lyles, who was a gold medalist in the 100-meters, ended up having to pull out of the 4×100-meter relay after being diagnosed with Covid.
He revealed on Saturday that he has now recovered and is testing negative.
Fans of the sport had criticized him for running after knowing he had the virus, something he did not reveal publicly until after the race, as he could have put the other athletes in danger by infecting them as well as stadium staff.
However, the US track and field federation said in a statement that they and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee had fully adhered to the guidelines set out at the Olympics.
“We swiftly enacted all necessary protocols to prioritize his health, the wellbeing of our team, and the safety of fellow competitors,” the statement said.
“Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety of Team USA athletes while upholding their right to compete. After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete. We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely.”
Lyles said that he had tested positive for Covid early on Tuesday morning after waking up in the night with “chills, aching and sore throat”.
He was put into quarantine in a hotel near the Olympic village to protect the other athletes, but the only ones aware of his diagnosis were “the medical staff, my coach, my mom”.
Lyles struggled to breathe after finishing in third place. Credit: Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Lyles said that he had kept the positive test result “close to the chest” so that the competition could not get an “edge” over him ahead of the 200-meter final.
After finishing in third place, he said: “It definitely affected my performance. I’ve had to take a lot of breaks… I was coughing through the night.
“I’m more proud of myself than anything, coming out here to get a bronze with Covid.
“I’ve had better days, but I’m walking around again. I was quite light-headed after that race.
“Shortness of breath, chest pain, but after a while I could catch my breath and get my wits about me. I’m a lot better now.”
Lyles now has his sights set on competing at his next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, which would be his third Olympic games.
