“To win the 100 meters is no joke,” shared the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, in Netflix’s SPRINT. This field has seen Jamaican dominance for years, especially since Bolt set those mind-blowing records in 2009—9.58 seconds for the 100m and 19.19 seconds for the 200m. Just look at the record: In 2008, it was Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser; in 2012, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; in 2016, Usain Bolt and Elaine Thompson-Herah in 2020, it was Marcell Jacobs and Elaine Thompson-Herah. But this time around, Jamaican fans faced a major upset when no Jamaican woman made it to the podium in the women’s 100m finals at the Paris Olympics! The men’s 100m finals are now in the spotlight, and the pressure is on Noah Lyles, the 2023 World Champion in both the 100m and 200m, who’s got everyone calling him the “Fastest Man” in the world.

This made the rivalry between the USA and Jamaica track fans heat up further! When EssentiallySports visited the Jamaica House at Espace de la Cockerie, the tension was evident. Despite the heartbreak of seeing their top female sprinters, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, pull out, Jamaican fans are still holding onto hope for a gold in the men’s finals. And they’re not too shy about snubbing Noah Lyles while they’re at it!

Being dubbed the “Fastest Man” in the world instead of Usain Bolt, Noah Lyles is feeling the burn right in the heart of the French capital!

Ahead of one of the most anticipated semi-finals and finals—the men’s 100m at the Paris Olympics—our correspondent Shreya Verma caught up with some fired-up Jamaican track and field fans at Jamaica House. Spanning over 900m² with an open-air space, this spot, organized by the Jamaica Tourist Board, is the perfect slice of the Caribbean right in the heart of Paris, just a 6-minute walk from Stade de France. Fans were already buzzing for tonight’s showdown featuring the top eight fastest men in the world. One of the biggest highlights? The classic Jamaica vs. America rivalry.

When we asked a Jamaican dad, attending his first Olympics with his daughters, “Do you think Noah Lyles is the fastest man in the world?” his answer was swift: “NO. In fact, we’ll answer that tonight. That will be answered when he gets his bronze medal.” EssentiallySports then asked the dad and hardcore track and field fan, “Am I hearing Kishane Thompson?”

He replied, “No, you’re hearing Noah Lyles not winning. There are three Jamaicans in the semi-finals. Any three of them I think will be challengers. But definitely, Seville and Kishane are at the top of the three sprinters. I can promise you that Noah Lyles will not win tonight.” Reflecting on these words, the contention is heating up, so let’s take a look at the numbers and see what Noah Lyles is up against.

Who’s snagging the gold at the end of the purple track at the Paris Olympics—Jamaica, America, or Kenya?

Looking at the men’s 100m, Noah Lyles has two major threats from Jamaica: Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson. Kishane currently holds the top spot on the 2024 World Rankings with a blazing 9.77 seconds, while Lyles sits in third with a 9.81. The other big contender for the American is Ferdinand Omanyala from Kenya, who clocked 9.79.

In the Paris Olympics 100m heats, Noah Lyles clocked 10.04 seconds, Kishane Thompson hit 10.00 seconds, Ferdinand Omanyala posted 10.08 seconds, and Oblique Seville showed he’s a real threat with a 9.99-second finish.

The semi-finals will soon clear the field and pick the top 8 men in the world for the showdown of their lives in the 100-meter. So, will Noah Lyles be able to finally claim the gold and assert his dominance in the distance, or will the Jamaicans steal the show? Share your thoughts in the comments below!