"He probably would have run 9.6"- Coach Stephen Francis boasts about Kishane Thompson following world-leading time at Jamaican Olympic trials

Kishane Thompson announced his comeback at the Jamaican Olympic trials, firing warning shots at his opponents with a world-leading time in the men’s 100m final. Thompson clocked an impressive 9.77 ahead of Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake who finished second and third in respective times of 9.82 and 9.92.

The time the 22-year-old clocked is now the fourth fastest Jamaican in history, behind Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, and Asafa Powell. This was his first competition this season, having not finished the race at the JAAA Olympic French Foray 1.

He last raced at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, where he finished an impressive fourth, having battled injuries throughout the season.

However, his coach, Stephen Francis, who also coaches two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson, noted that the youngster has just started.

Francis noted that Kishane Thompson would have clocked a faster time than he did if he maintained his speed from the 40m mark to the 60m mark. He added that at the moment, the main focus is on ensuring he wins an Olympic medal and then they will start thinking about other things.

"Based on what I saw him do in the final, I think if he maintained that speed that he had between 40m and 60m, he probably would have run 9.6 or 9.70," he said.

"Right now, for him and his future, what he needs to do is to become an Olympic medallist first and then we shall plan everything else."

The youngster was off to a great start in the preliminaries, clocking 9.82 to cross the finish before extending the winning streak to the semifinal where he won in style, clocking 9.84.

Kishane Thompson now heads to the Paris Olympic Games to make his debut and will be hoping to make history on the global stage after Bolt’s exit.

Justin Gatlin explains why Kishane Thompson’s form is a threat to Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville in action at Jamaican Olympic trials

The 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin has explained how Kishane Thompson might change the American dominance in the men’s 100m if he maintains his good shape.

Speaking on his Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin singled out Noah Lyles as one of the sprinters who will be affected if Kishane Thompson shows up in Paris in the form of his life.

The American legend insisted that Lyles has to dig deep and do more in training if he has to impress at the event and win the race.

He has been in great shape, dominating the U.S. Olympic trials to win the final in 9.83, equaling his personal best time. Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley finished second and third in 9.87 and 9.88.

"This is going to take Noah everything in his body to go out there and PR big. Kishane is in 9.7 shape, and if he maintains that up until Paris, Noah is going to have to up his game," Gatlin said.

"You are going to have to hit 9.7 to show you are here and show you will not lay down for anybody to win this Olympic gold in the 100. The 200 is easier for him, but the 100 is his biggest mountain to climb for sure."

Lyles and Kishane Thompson have only raced together once, during the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, where the former finished second behind Christian Coleman as Thompson finished fourth.

They will lock horns again in Paris, France, with both of them having the pressure to prove a point but who will take the glory at the end of the day?