Noah Lyles is officially the fastest man in the world.
Albeit not by very much.
The American showman ran a personal best of 9.79 seconds (technically, it was 9.784)—finishing just 0.005 seconds ahead of Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson—to secure his first Olympic gold medal. He’s America’s first gold medalist in the 100 meters in 20 years since Justin Gatlin won at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Noah Lyles wins Olympic gold in the men’s 100m with an EPIC finish. 🥇 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/12qSEeubje
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 5, 2024
Thompson took silver with a 9.789. Fred Kerley, who won silver in the Tokyo Olympics, added a bronze to his resume with a personal best time of 9.81. Five of the top six times were personal bests, a season best, or a national record. Oblique Seville ran a 9.91 and finished last.
The 27-year-old said that before he left for Paris, one of his physio guys assured him this race would be a squeaker.
“He said, ‘This is how close first and second are going to be,’” Lyles recounted as he pinched his thumb and forefinger together so they were almost touching. “I can’t believe how right he was.”
For those confused as to why Noah Lyles was awarded Gold instead of Thompson, even though Thompson’s foot crossed 1st:
The clock stops when your torso crosses the line *not* 1st body part. Noah leans w/ his chest, while Thompson subtly concaves his chest. That was the difference pic.twitter.com/13WqNsjrvm
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 4, 2024
Computers showed Lyles leaned forward—his torso had to cross the finish line—to cross the line five-thousandths of a second faster than Thompson.
Before the final results were posted, Lyles told reporters he thought it was Thompson who finished first, not him.
“I was like, oh man, I’m really gonna have to swallow my pride, which I don’t have a problem doing. Respect deserves respect, and everybody in the field, to be honest, came out knowing that they could win this race.”
Noah Lyles with a POWERFUL message after winning his first Olympic gold medal 👏🏅 pic.twitter.com/hNpJtrXby4
— ESPN (@espn) August 5, 2024
Previously, Lyles talked about wanting more spirited competition with his cohorts. More trash-talking. More races. More of the best facing off.
“Everybody has their own vibe. I’m a showman,” Lyles declared in the documentary series Sprint on Netflix.
“I feel like almost an artistic director. You have all these other athletes as stars, rock stars, popular wherever they go. Track and field needs to be the same. And I’m not gonna be happy until I see that accomplished.”
And it’s not just trash talk with his track and field competitors. Lyles and the NBA—players and fans—have had some beef since he spoke at last year’s World Championships in which he won the 100 and 200.
"World champions of what?!" 😂
USA sprinter Noah Lyles calls out the NBA for labelling their winners as 'world champions' 🏀 pic.twitter.com/MAaBLBrOj4
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) August 29, 2023
Lyles mocked the league’s labeling of its NBA Finals winners as “world champions” by openly asking, “World champion of what? The United STATES?”
“That ain’t the world,” he continued amid laughter from reporters. “That is not the world. We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show that they’re represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA.”
NBA players and media didn’t find Lyles’ ridicule so amusing. They argued that the league comprises the best basketball players from around the globe and is therefore the best hoops competition on the planet despite not being an official world championship.
Lyles’ comments sparked a firestorm of criticism and clap-backs. Kevin Durant tweeted: “Somebody help this brother.” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith called Lyles “flagrantly ignorant.”
Fast forward to Saturday and the start of the men’s 100 competition at Stade de France. Lyles finished second in his first-round heat, and his many detractors tweeted their delight about his potential downfall in Paris. He took second again in his semifinal early Sunday, giving his critics more hope.
Lol na he an Olympic gold medalist. He can talk for life 😂 https://t.co/f18joDmXRj
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) August 4, 2024
Lyles ended up having the last laugh. And he has the chance to win three more golds to match Carl Lewis’ track and field record of four golds at the 1984 Olympic Games. He’ll be an even bigger favorite to win his next event—the 200 meters.
“I’ll be winning,” Lyles guaranteed. “None of them is winning. When I come off the turn, they will be depressed.” Lyles was referring to his opponents in the 200. But we don’t think Lyles plans on eating any of his words anytime soon.
“I’m a true believer that the moment isn’t bigger than me,” Lyles said on Netflix. “The moment was made for me.”