Is Kishane Thompson the best upcoming 100m athlete of 2024? Exploring the pursuits of the Jamaican athlete as he aims for Olympic glory

Kishane Thompson has proved his prospects as a formidable athlete after opening his Olympic season with an impressive performance at the 2024 Jamaican Olympic Trials. He secured his first Olympic berth at the Jamaican Trials after dominating the 100m.

Thompson clocked a time of 9.77 seconds to defeat Oblique Seville, who registered 9.82 seconds. They were followed by Ackeem Blake, who marked a sub-10 performance with 9.92 seconds, rounding off the top three. Thompson's winning time at the National Stadium in Kingston registered a new world lead, scratching Ferdinand Omanyala's 9.79 seconds, set on June 15, 2024.

Thompson also surpassed Seville's, Noah Lyles', and Kenny Bednarek's personal best of the 2024 season. While Seville clocked 9.82 seconds, Lyles and Bednarek posted 9.83 and 9.87 seconds, respectively, on June 23, 2024. Thompson will lock horns with the above-mentioned athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

With the stunning 9.77 seconds, the 22-year-old Kenyan sprinter became the ninth fastest man in history, following Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley's 9.76 seconds. Since Thompson marked the world lead in his season opener with less than a month left for the Olympics, he stands as a fierce contender for the 100m lineup in Paris.

"I didn't understand coz this is just the heats" - Kishane Thompson reflects on dealing with doping control in the 100m heats at Jamaican Trials

Kishane Thompson started his campaign at the Jamaican Olympics with a remarkable victory. During the 100m heats round, he clocked a spectacular 9.82 seconds lead, leaving behind Oblique Seville (9.98 seconds) and Julian Forte (10.00 seconds).

However, he was singled out for doping suspicions soon after his stunning performance in heats. In an interview with Nationwide Radio, Kishane Thompson detailed the incident, stating his confusion about being flagged after the heats, which is unusual.

"As soon as I finished the race, I saw the doping officers...It was nearby and they said, 'Hey Kishane, I selected you for doping', and I said 'Excuse Me?' I didn't understand coz this is just the heats," he said.

"I said to him 'How do you go about this? I thought it is just the finals, coz I understand it is about the finals. They said, "No, I randomly choose you in terms of what I saw you did....how effortlessly I ran that [9.82 seconds], I PBd, and I didn't compete this season, so you look suspicious I guess," he added.

Apart from the 100m, Kishane Thompson will also compete with the Jamaican squad in the men's 4x100m relay event in the French capital.