World champion Noah Lyles roared to victory in 9.79sec to claim gold in a dramatic men's Olympic 100m final in Paris on Sunday.
Lyles became the first American, male or female, to win the event since Justin Gatlin won in the 2004 Athens Games.
🥇👑 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝐦 👑🥇
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 4, 2024
🇺🇸 Noah Lyles wins GOLD in the Men’s 100m at #Paris2024#ClosertoYourChampions pic.twitter.com/CvvSIwc63H
In a photo-finish, Jamaica's Kishane Thompson claimed silver, just five-thousandths of a second off Lyles' pace.
Lyles' US teammate Fred Kerley took bronze in 9.81sec, just one-hundredth ahead of South African Akani Simbine, who timed 9.82sec.
𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 🇿🇦🇿🇦
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 4, 2024
Akani Simbine sets a new Men's 100m National Record with a time of 9.82 ⚡️🔥 #Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/6Is3jYEDQy
Defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy was fifth in 9.85sec, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo sixth in 9.86sec, American Kenny Bednarek seventh in 9.88sec and Jamaican Oblique Seville eighth in 9.91sec in an astonishing race.
🇧🇼𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐆𝐎 🇧🇼
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 4, 2024
The 21-year-old sets a new National Record for Botswana with a time of 9.86 🔥🔥#Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/XlrnEnNmOM
Starting in lane seven, outside Seville and inside Tebogo, Lyles got off to an average start but was soon into his stride pattern.
Head tucked down through to the 40-metre mark, the American opened up, but the whole field pushed him all the way.
As Lyles dipped for the line with Thompson charging alongside him, the crowd erupted and a photo-finish was called before Lyles was confirmed as gold medallist.
There was an electric pre-race atmosphere in a 69,000-capacity Stade de France, a light show and booming bass-heavy music keeping the crowd entertained as the sprinters made the final adjustments to their starting blocks.
The times from the Men’s 100m were so close 🤏
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 4, 2024
Incredible race, for all involved 🔥#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/N2nIcFFzwK
The lights were then shut off, the sprinters leaving the track to remake their entrance like prize fighters in a colosseum.
Called out over the tannoy, each sprinter was individually introduced behind an image of their name above their flag.
Thompson roared, hands clenched in fists as his head rolled back. Kerley patted his heart.
Lyles bounded out like a kangaroo, bouncing 20 metres down the track. Jacobs was the definition of cool, raising both arms and calmly walking to his blocks.
Then came the moment where the sprinters set, at the starter’s beck and call.
The wait seemed interminable. The music continued, the crowd clapped in unison as if to hurry the starter, then the sprinters stood in their lanes, rocking from foot to foot and the tension was palpable.
𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱. 🌍
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 4, 2024
Noah Lyles is your #Paris2024 men's 100m Olympic champion. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/dZpSAiFSrA
The cameras panned one more and then it was time, the only sound that of a helicopter's wings whirring overhead.
The shot was fired and the field moved as if one up the purple track.
The photo-finish officials examined the evidence and Lyles walked away with gold to bury the demons of the Tokyo Games where he harvested a mere 200m bronze.
𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐏 😤
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 4, 2024
✅ Akani Simbine 🇿🇦
✅ Letsile Tebogo 🇧🇼
The Men's 100m Final is at 21:50 CAT on Olympics 1 SA & Nig (Ch. 203) ROA (Ch.223) #Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/bCUSAQhJ94