“It feels good to be back on top”, Noah Lyles told Olympics.com, beaming after his sensational victory in the 100m event at the Paris Olympics. The showman of the USA Sprinting team, Lyles delivered a performance for the ages, clocking his fastest 100m ever and narrowly edging out Jamaican star Kishane Thompson by a mere five-thousandths of a second. The stadium held its breath as the photo finish confirmed Lyles’ win, leaving Thompson with the silver.

Reflecting on his race, Lyles shared mixed emotions with Olympics.com, saying, “I am disappointed … but I am also glad, I am grateful.” His words revealed a hint of regret despite his incredible achievement. On the other side, Kishane Thompson made history as the first Jamaican athlete to stand on the podium since the legendary Usain Bolt. With a blazing 9.77-second run in the 100m trials, Thompson was a formidable contender, but on the day of the finals, it was Lyles who emerged victorious.

In a candid moment, Lyles revealed the strategy that propelled him to victory. His win wasn’t just a testament to his speed but also to his resilience and tactical acumen

Noah Lyles revealed strategies for his unexpected 100m win at the Paris Olympics

In a recent interview with News Sky on 12 August 2024, Noah Lyles shared his technique for bagging the gold in the 100m event in the Paris Olympics, as he said, “Blink and you’ll miss it. I didn’t feel I was going to be caught. I felt that I was just constantly running. I was just constantly getting faster and faster. As I got closer and closer to the line, I was just like – I need to lean like this,” he said.“If I didn’t, I don’t know if I would have won.” This highlights the sprinting rule where athletes’ torso, including abdomen, chest, pelvis, or back, must cross the finish line at first instead of their legs. So, Noah deliberately did that and leaned his body to the finish line to get the first position. 

Based on that part, Kishane said the game has become competitive now. Being a dominator in the 100m event, Thompson is known for his powerful and explosive start, while Noah can maintain his speed better in 200m events. Despite that, as Noah played the strategy here, Thompson lagged behind with a photo-finish margin. In that race, he thoroughly maintained the speed and maximized it at the end. Thompson in a post-race interview stated his regret, “I am disappointed, but I am going to take it as what it is and move forward from here,” displaying his resilience and dedication to his game. 

However, the rivalry between Jamaican Kishane Thompson and American Noah Lyles is not new, whether a track war or a verbal battle. Before the Olympics, Lyles talked about smashing records of Usain Bolt after he cleaned up with three straight first-place finishes during last summer’s World Championships in Budapest. For Lyles, this is not just a personal victory; it’s an effort to raise the level of competition in track and field. He came with this aim on the track as Jamaican fans compared Kishane with Bolt, raising questions on whether he could be a successful successor to Bolt’s legacy. On that note, Noah once even jokingly said, “I hope he stays injured,” – a reference to the Jamaican’s shin-related problems. Here, in the Paris Olympics, this palpable and strong rivalry can also be felt. 

Noah Lyles fired final shots: Reflected on conquering Jamaica’s best in Paris

Noah Lyles has recently set the track world talking with his sprint prowess, attracting sought-after buzz. As he gears up for the Paris Olympics, Lyles looks back with satisfaction and expectation on the road he has trodden. It speaks eloquently to the quality of his most recent achievements, particularly a brilliant comeback against Jamaica’s leading sprinter, Kishane Thompson. While reflecting on these victories, Lyles reveals something about how his preparation has made him ready for the Olympics. 

He took interesting measures, such as working with a biochemist to gain 30lb muscles to get a better angle from the start. Hence, in the finals of the 100m event, Kishane crossed the line in 9.79 (.789) seconds, while Noah took it to a new height by finishing in 9.79 (.784). But Noah’s unexpected win made Jamaican fans go crazy, and they started to claim that Thompson had been ‘robbed’ and that the judges deliberately did not offer him the gold medal. Noah countered, in an interview with the reporter of Essentially Sports, he openly said with a sporty spirit that “the constant backlash from fans did not bother me”. He further stated that while some fans are very critical, a few are, and can be very supportive. As it has become very persistent with Noah, it seems the Jamaican audience deeply dislikes Noah, but yet has no answer for his raw speed and talent.