Meet Fred Kerley, the American sprinter emerging as a gold medal contender for the men's 100m at Paris Olympics 2024

Fred Kerley is a strong contender for the gold medal in the men's 100m at Paris Olympics 2024. The former world champion has hit top form ahead of the finals, running a new season best of 9.84 in the semifinal 3 of the competition.

Kerley was predominantly a 400m sprinter at the start of his professional career in 2017. With a personal best time of 43.64 seconds, he is the eighth fastest 400m runner in history. The 29-year-old has a Diamond League title in the distance to his name, as well as a world title in the 4x400m relay.

A couple of seasons before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kerley began recording impressive times over the 100m and qualified in the distance for the Paris Olympics 2024. He won the silver medal in Tokyo, finishing just behind Marcel Jacobs in the finals. It marked his first Olympic medal, and the 29-year-old is now ready for another at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Fred Kerley qualified for the 100m after finishing third at the U.S. Olympic Trials, running an impressive 9.88s. He was placed in heat 8 in the 100m at the Paris Olympics and won the race in an easy 9.97s. The 29-year-old was slated in semifinal 3 with world leader Kishane Thompson and finished second in a season-best time.

He clocked 9.84s to directly qualify for the men's 100m final. The Jamaican came first in a time of 9.80s, the fastest by anyone in the semifinals. Kerley’s fellow American Noah Lyles was also second to Jamaica's Oblique Seville in the first semifinal, running 9.83s to his 9.81s. The three medals up for grabs in the finals could well be shared between Kerley, Lyles, Thompson, and Seville.

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Has Fred Kerley won any world title in the 100m?

2023 Diamond League Xiamen Meeting - Press Conference (Image Source: Getty)

Fred Kerley won his maiden world title in the 100m at the 2022 World Championships. He ran a lifetime best of 9.76s to win the gold medal. The 29-year-old ran 9.83s in the semifinal and improved to 0.07s in the final. However, he will need to improve further to win his maiden Olympic title in Paris.

Outside of the 100m, Kerley has two world titles in the men's 4x400m relay. He won the first at the 2019 World Championships followed by a second at the 2023 World Championships. Over the individual 400m event, he won bronze at the 2019 Championships.