PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 4, 2024 – In an electrifying showdown at the Stade de France, American sprinter Noah Lyles secured his first Olympic gold medal, narrowly outpacing Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five-thousandths of a second. Lyles set a personal best of 9.79 seconds in the Sunday night event, marking the first U.S. men’s 100-meter Olympic gold win since Justin Gatlin in 2004.
Fred Kerley of the USA took the bronze with a season’s best of 9.81 seconds. South Africa’s Akani Simbine set a national record with a fourth-place finish at 9.82 seconds, while Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs took fifth with a season’s best of 9.85 seconds. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo also set a national record, finishing sixth at 9.86 seconds. Completing the top eight were Kenneth Bednarek of the USA and Oblique Seville of Jamaica, clocking in at 9.88 and 9.91 seconds respectively.
Before the race, Lyles invigorated the audience with his dynamic presence, raising his arms and sprinting up and down a portion of the track. Despite a sluggish start, he quickly gathered pace, overtaking Thompson—who had been the fastest man of the year until tonight. The event concluded with an intense wait for the photo finish results to confirm Lyles’ victory.
Lyles is renowned not only for his speed but also for his dramatic flair and controversial remarks about fellow athletes, adding a layer of significance to his victory. His win at the Paris Olympics is poised to become one of the most memorable moments in Olympic sprinting history.
