World champion Noah Lyles cruised to victory in 9.79 seconds to claim gold in a dramatic Olympic men’s 100m final in Paris on Sunday.
Lyles won in the closest Olympic 100 meters in modern history, beating Jamaica’s Kishan Thompson by just five thousandths of a second.
Both got a rounded time of 9.79s, but the name of the American carried the most important (0.784) Thompson’s (0.789.)
Lyles became the first American, male or female, to win the event since Justin Gatlin won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.
“It’s the one I wanted,” said Lyles, whose winning time was a personal best. “It’s a tough battle, they’re amazing opponents.
“They’re all healthy, they all came ready to fight and I wanted to prove that I’m a man among them. I’m a wolf among wolves.”
Lyles’ victory was only confirmed after a photo finish.
The American said of waiting for the final results: “I went to Kishan and I was like, ‘I’ll be honest bro, I think you’ve had him’.”
“And I was fully prepared to see his name pop up and see my name pop up, I’m like gracious. I’m unbelievable.”
Lyles added: “It’s been a rollercoaster, ups and downs.
“I’m usually the type that likes to go all out in all my laps, especially the 200m. But the 100m is my first time here on the Olympic stage.”
the relatively unknown Thompson, this year’s fastest man with a best time of 9.77s, said he was not “fresh enough” in the final 30 metres.
“I couldn’t really see Lyles, I wasn’t sure,” Thompson, 23, said of the photo finish. “It was so close.
“I’ll take it and move forward from here,” he said. “Everybody likes a winner, so I’d like to win today, but overall I enjoyed the competition.”
Lyles’ American teammate Fred Kerley took bronze in 9.81s, just one-hundredth ahead of South Africa’s Akani Simbin, who clocked 9.82s.
“I don’t feel any frustration because I’m facing the best in the world,” said Kerley, the 2022 world champion and Olympic silver medalist in the 100 meters three years ago at the Tokyo Games.
“At the end of the day, not many people can say they came to the Olympics,” Kerley said. “Whoever did the best is the best. It’s my second time and I’m leaving with a medal.”
In a stunning race, defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy was fifth in 9.85s, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana sixth in 9.86s, American Kenny Bednarek seventh in 9.88s and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville eighth in 9.91s.
Lyles had an average start in lane seven, outside Seville and inside Teboga, but soon settled into his stride pattern.
With his head stuck up to the 40-meter mark, the American opened up, but the entire field pushed him to the limit.
As Lyles dove into the line with Thompson racing alongside him, the crowd erupted and a photo-finish was called before Lyles was confirmed as the gold medalist.
was an electric pre-race atmosphere at the 69,000-capacity Stade de France, with a light show and blaring music keeping the crowd entertained as the sprinters adjusted their starting blocks.
The lights then went out and the sprinters exited the track to make their entrance as prizefighters in the colosseum, each sprinter being individually introduced behind a picture of their name above the flag.
Thompson roared with his hands clenched into fists as his head snapped back. Kerley tapped his heart.
Lyles jumped up like a kangaroo and bounced 20 meters down the track. Jacobs was the definition of cool, raising both arms and walking calmly to his blocks.
Then came the moment when the sprinters ran at the starter’s beck and call.
The wait seemed endless. The music continued, the crowd clapped in unison, then the sprinters stood in their lanes, swaying from foot to foot, the tension palpable, with the only sound being the sound of a helicopter screeching overhead.
A shot rang out and the field seemed to move down a purple path to a dramatic denouement.
Photo-finish officials examined the evidence and Lyles walked away with the gold to bury the demons of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, where he picked up just 200m bronze.
Asked if he believed in doubling up in the 200m, an event in which he is a three-time world champion, Lyles had no doubts. “100 percent,” he said. “That’s my better event, and now that I have a new PR in the 100, I’m ready to take it to the 200.”
