Noah Lyles dazzled at the Paris 2024 Olympics, capturing the 100m gold medal with a personal best of 9.79 seconds. Running in what is considered the most competitive men’s 100m race ever, Lyles edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by a razor-thin margin of five-thousandths of a second.
Fred Kerley, the USA’s 2022 world champion and Tokyo silver medalist, took bronze with a time of 9.81 seconds, finishing just 0.01 seconds ahead of South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who set a national record. Notable personal bests for position were achieved by Simbine in fourth place, Italy’s defending champion Marcell Jacobs in fifth (9.85), Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo in sixth (9.86 NR), USA’s Kenny Bednarek in seventh (9.88), and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville in eighth (9.91). This race marked the first time eight men finished under 10 seconds in a wind-legal event, with a record-small gap of 0.12 seconds separating first and eighth place.
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In an interview for the Netflix documentary SPRINT, Lyles stated, “If you don’t have main character energy, then track and field ain’t for you.” His powerful start to the final was matched by a laser-like focus once in the blocks as he looked to build on his Tokyo 200m bronze and his six global titles from 2019 to 2023 by winning an Olympic gold.
Despite trailing for much of the race, Lyles showcased his signature finishing speed, overtaking Thompson, who had surged ahead but tightened up at the finish. As the results were displayed, Lyles celebrated by extending his arms and dramatically removing his name bib for the cameras.
Lyles said, “It’s been a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs,” adding that he intended to run in the 200-, 400-, and 4×100-meter relays in Paris. “I think back to Tokyo when I messed up handling the rounds. From then on, I was like, ‘I’m never going to do that again. I’m going to handle this correctly and practice over the years’. It’s accumulated to this point. You only need one. As long as that’s the last one, that’s all that matters.”
Thompson, who ran a 9.77 personal best in June to become the fastest man in the world so far this year, expressed his gratitude. “I’m super grateful. I came out here and finished injury free. I think you guys know my past issues with injuries, so I am a bit disappointed. But I am happy at the same time. I am going to take it as what it is and move forward from here.
Earlier, Thompson and Seville made history by running the fastest ever Olympic 100m semifinal times. Seville won the first semifinal with a PB of 9.81, just 0.02 seconds ahead of Lyles. Thompson won the third semifinal in 9.80, with Kerley close behind in 9.84. Simbine claimed the second semifinal with a time of 9.87, followed by Tebogo (9.91). Jacobs advanced on time with a 9.92, securing the last final spot.
For the first time, a sub-10-second semifinal time did not guarantee a place in the final. Benjamin Richardson’s 9.95 was the fastest time to miss the final, surpassing the previous benchmark of 10 seconds flat. Other notable eliminations included Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (9.96 PB), Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe (9.97), and Canada’s Tokyo 200m champion Andre De Grasse (9.98).
[…] Noah Lyles, who just days ago claimed the title of the world’s fastest man at the Stade de France, faced a stark contrast in fortune on Thursday night. After testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, Lyles nevertheless took to the track for the 200m Olympic final, where he courageously earned a bronze medal. The strain, however, was evident as he collapsed after crossing the finish line, overwhelmed by sheer exhaustion rather than disappointment. […]