In a thrilling photo finish, Noah Lyles retained the title of world’s fastest man.
Lyles edged past Jamaican Kishane Thompson to win his first Olympic gold medal in lifetime best 9.784 seconds, just five thousandths of a second ahead of Thompson, who posted a time of 9.789. The result wasn’t clear until nearly a full minute after crossing the finish line, as the competitors waited nervously for the details of their photo finish.
When the result flashed on the Stade de France videoboard, Lyles was a gold medalist. Thompson took silver, and American Fred Kerley claimed bronze, his second Olympic medal in the 100m.
Lyles is the first American man to win gold in the 100m since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Games. After finishing seventh in the 100m at U.S. Trials in 2021, Lyles is now the top 100m runner on Earth for the second year in a row.
“It’s been a rollercoaster, ups and downs. I’m usually a guy who likes to come out blazing in all my rounds, especially in the 200m. But the 100m, it’s my first time here on the Olympic stage.
“You only need one,” Lyles said moments after winning gold. “As long as that’s the last one, that’s all that matters.”
In the ultra-tight race, Lyles was in last place after 30 meters and trailed Thompson by .01 seconds after 90 meters, but the new Olympic champion stormed ahead to win by a hair in the final step.
.03 seconds behind Lyles was his U.S. teammate Kerley, who has stormed back to a podium after his disappointing failure to qualify for the 100m final at 2023 Worlds, finishing 9th. Kerley vowed after that shortcoming to lock in on his training, nutrition and mindset to remake himself into a top contender. On Sunday night in Paris, he did.
“I feel that I executed as best as I could,” Kerley said. “I came here for the gold and nothing else but, hey, everybody came here for the same thing, and only one can win.
“I don’t feel frustration, because I’m facing the best in the world. At the end of the day, not many people can say they came to the Olympic Games. Whoever came off the best is the best. It’s my second time around, and I’m going off with a medal.”
But this night, this race, those 9.784 seconds, were about Lyles: Olympic champion, at last.
But as is custom with a megastar like Lyles, there’s more. In four days, he’ll vie to become one of just nine men in Olympic history to achieve the 100m-200m double, winning the each of those titles in the same Olympics. Lyles has staked his intention to become the 10th.
“We’re coming after everything,” Lyles said this February. “All the Olympic medals. I don’t care who wants it. It’s mine.”
For now, the 100m gold is his — by the tiniest margin you could conceive.
SEE MORE: Noah Lyles’ 100m dash win puts photo-finishes in focus: FAQs
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