WATCH: Noah Lyles becomes 1st American man in 20 years to win Olympic 100m gold, edges out Kishane Thompson in photo finish at Paris 2024

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 9 - Source: Getty
Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 9 - Source: Getty

27-year-old Noah Lyles has clinched the 100m gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The American sprinter surged past Jamaican rivals Krishane Thompson and Oblique Seville to claim the title with a new personal best time.

The 100m final in Paris was an incredibly close affair. Lyles was slow off the blocks as usual while Thompson and Fred Kerley were running off with the lead.

Thompson was in the front for most of the race before Lyles took the win in the last stride. The duo werw separated by five-thousandths of a second as Lyles took the win in 9.79s.

The official time of Noah Lyles read 9.784 while Thompson was second for silver in 9.789. USA's Fred Kerley finished in third for the bronze medal in 9.81s, while Akani Simbine was fourth in 9.82

It marked the USA's first gold medal in the 100m since the 2004 Olympic Games, when Justin Gatlin won it. The event was then largely dominated by Jamaicans, before Marcel Jacobs took the crown in 2021.

The Jamaicans were in a strong position yet again to take back the crown in 2024 as Kishane Thompson entered the Olympics as the fastest man in the world. Oblique Seville beat Lyles in the semifinals, clocking 9.81s to the American’s 9.83s. However, he finished last in the final as Noah Lyles got his redemption.


Noah Lyles could achieve more history in the coming days

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 9 - Source: Getty
Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 9 - Source: Getty

The 100m dash was the weakest event of Noah Lyles in comparison to the 200m, where he is the fastest American in history. With the 100m title in his bag, the 27-year-old has a chance to do the historic Olympic double.

Lyles became the first person to win the 100m and 200m double at the 2023 World Championships since Usain Bolt did in 2015. He could now achieve the Olympic double and be the first sprinter to do it at the Olympics since the Jamaican did it in 2016.

Only one American has won the 100m and 200m double and that's Carl Lewis from the 1984 Olympics. Noah Lyles could be the next and he has a very high chance of doing that. The 27-year-old is a favorite for the 200m event, more so after today's blistering run and if he does win it, he would surely be remembered as a legend of the sport.

Quick Links

Edited by Shyam Kamal
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications