Do you remember what Noah Lyles’s opening race in the indoor track and field season was last year? The Florida native had been stoked to make it memorable. He aimed to snag the top podium in the World Athletics Indoor Championship and took the indoor opening race as a perfect practice opportunity. However, in that race, at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on 4th February 2024, Noah took 6.44 seconds to win the 60m men’s final. And within less than two weeks, on 17th February, he touched 6.43 seconds in the 60m race at the USA Indoor Championships. That was his best timing last season in the 60-meter indoor event. Noah will start his indoor season again in February. But before that, his fans seem to be concerned about his position. 

Five months ago, Noah Lyles faced a tough battle in the men’s 100m final in the Paris Olympics. The turns of events in the final once made him doubt his chances to claim the gold medal. Credit goes to his Jamaican rival, Kishane Thompson. That night in August, Thompson almost touched Lyles in the finishing line. Surprisingly, in his opening race of this indoor season, he didn’t let go of this habit. Last year Noah took 6.44 seconds to announce his entry in the indoor track and field season. Well, Kishane took 6.48 seconds just a few hours ago. A gap of 0.04 seconds! But fans are not ready to count that gap. And they have their reasons, though!

On January 18, Kishane Thompson competed in the 60m race in the Central Hurdles, Relays & Field Events Meet at GC Foster College in Spanish Town, Jamaica. His timing was 6.48 seconds. But it came with a notable -2.1 m/s headwind. That means that he had to sprint against the high wind. So, if the same run occurred in an indoor facility, then? A fan penned something on this on Reddit. The fan’s comment read, “TRP is gonna have a field day. Also this is crazy. Hurricane Kishane is gonna be a problem. Wonder what this translates into indoors?” The fans argued that the wind adjustment might take the timing near to Noah’s timing or can beat it.

Notably, Lyles set his best timing in the indoor men’s 60m event last year. In the USA Indoor Championships 2024, he took 6.43 seconds to conclude the race. A wind adjustment might take Kishane Thompson’s timing near to that mark or help go past it. The actual meaning of his performance is bigger than just the analytical discussion. 

Last outdoor track and field season, Kishane Thompson had the world-leading timing in the men’s 100m race. In June, he gave a fine performance in the men’s 100m race at the National Stadium in Jamaica and hit 9.77 seconds to complete the race. Later, he kept Noah on his toes in the 100-meter men’s final in the Paris Olympics. A few more data points might clear the picture more. Kishane’s previous best performance in the 60m came in 2022. He took 6.67 seconds then. Last year, he couldn’t even compete in the indoor events because of his injury. And look at what he did in his opening race this season! 

For someone who had to face the fangs of injuries in the past, again and again, such a comeback is no less than an achievement. And Noah’s fans may have taken it as a red alert. Last year, he took his competition with Christian Coleman to a serious level in the ownership of the indoor 60m event. This time, there will be Kishane Thompson! The fans are already feeling the serious competition and that’s visible in Reddit comment section.

Fans predict a tough contest waiting for Noah Lyles 

Last year, Noah Lyles’s best timing overpowered Christian Coleman in the USA Indoor Championships. The 60m world record holder couldn’t believe his defeat. However, later he settled his score with Noah in the World Athletics Indoor Championship in Glasgow. However, the fans are expecting to watch a more competitive race this time in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in March 2024. On this aspect, someone wrote on Reddit, “The World Indoor Championships will be wild.” Undoubtedly, fans are talking about Kishane Thompson’s inclusion in the contest. Someone pushed the debate more, bringing in the topic of the world record in the men’s 60m event. 

The concerned fan left the question, “Wtf? That’s insane? Wouldn’t that be a world record when wind adjusted?” A similar argument led another fan to put in the comment box, “bro is close to a world record with HEADWIND.” But is that really so? Did Kishane Thompson’s timing cruise past the world record in the men’s 60m after the headwind adjustment? Remember, the current world record in the men’s 60m is 6.34 seconds, set by Christian Coleman in 2018. Kishane’s timing is 6.48 seconds, with a headwind of -2.1 m/s. Do the timings look close to each other? 

A fan said no. On Reddit, that fan explained in the comment box, “It’s 6.38 roughly, so no. Indoor WR is 6.34 and the best outdoor split is 6.32 wind adjusted. It is blistering though, especially for January. If he stays healthy he’s probably gonna join the 9.6 club.” According to that individual, Kishane Thompson has the best chance to enter the 9.6 club in the men’s 100m. He could beat Noah Lyles in that way as well. As of now, the American athlete has 9.79 seconds as his personal best in the men’s 100m. Altogether, the fans are expecting to watch a tough sprint battle between Noah and Kishane in the coming days.