Team USA’s options for 4x100m relay if Noah Lyles doesn’t run

The end of Noah Lyles’ 2024 Paris Olympics campaign means there’s an open spot in one track and field event for Team USA.
After taking the bronze medal in the men’s 200-meter final, Lyles received medical attention and collapsed into a wheelchair. The runner has a history of asthma, but it was revealed after the race that he tested positive for COVID-19 and ran the 200m sick. In an Instagram post following the race, Lyles said he believes “this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics.”
With Lyles done competing in Paris, there are some questions as to what will happen for Team USA in a race he was expected to compete in: the 4×100-meter relay.
It hasn’t officially been said, but all signs point to Lyles not competing in the 4×100-meter relay. The final will take place on Friday, Aug. 9 at 1:47 p.m. ET.
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Lyles didn’t run in the heats for the event as he prepared for the 200m. The quartet that ran the heat was Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Kyree King and Courtney Lindsey, and they had the best time of any heat at 37.47. In second was South Africa with 37.94.
The same runners could run in the final, but Team USA does have another option other than Lyles; in addition to the four runners, Kenneth Bednarek could possibly run in place of someone else.
Before his Instagram post, Lyles told NBC he would let Team USA “do their thing” in the 4×100-meter relay, further indicating he will not run in the event. Even without him, the 100-meter gold medalist believes the U.S. can be successful.
“They’ve proven with great certainty that they can handle it without me. If that’s the case, coming off today, then I’m perfectly fine with saying, ‘Hey, you guys go do your thing. You guys have more than enough speed to go get the gold medal,'” Lyles said.