Noah Lyles of the United States won the men’s 100-meter Olympic final in a dramatic photo finish today in Paris, France. His winning time was 9.79, beating Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by fractions of a second. Fred Kerley of the United States finished in third place with a time of 9.81.
It was a classic end to one of the Olympics’ most celebrated events. The title “the world’s fastest man” has long been associated with the winner of this race. This year’s race was highlighted by a strong international field that included three US runners.
Road to the Finals
Lyles did not have the smoothest path to these finals. The prohibitive favorite coming in, he finished second to Jamaica’s Oblique Seville in his semifinal heat. And in the quarterfinals for the event, Lyles came in 12th of the 27 runners who qualified for the semifinal heats. After this, Lyles said, “These boys said they’re coming to play. I guess that’s my first lesson in underestimating the power of the Olympics. When someone‘s on the line, they’re gonna give it their all or nothing.”
Did Lyles Win?
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As the race finished, it appeared to all the world that Thompson was the winner. He had the fastest start of anyone in the field, and snap judgment seemed to suggest that he had held on for the win. But Lyles claimed right away that he was the true winner. Minutes later, the cameras confirmed it.
Other American Finishes
Kerley ran a spirited race to finish third. He had experienced a very up-and-down track season so far, so this was vindication for him of his place in the world rankings. Kenny Benarek finished a disappointing seventh after a slow start. However, his best event, the 200-meter run, will be coming up later this week.
Lyles is the Fastest Man in the World
With his first Olympic 100-meter Gold Medal. he secured his title as “the world’s fastest man.” He’ll next compete in the 200-meter race, which he has proclaimed as his favorite event. Perhaps it will be a classic showdown between Lyles and Bednarek, who won the silver in the event four years ago in Toyko.
