Noah Lyles wins Olympic 100m gold medal in record-breaking final which saw incredible photo finish
United States star Noah Lyles snatched gold in a thrilling men's 100m final at Paris 2024.
The American beat Jamaica's Kishane Thompson by a margin of just five thousandths of a second in what was the fastest collective 100m in history.
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Lyles edged the photo finish with a time of 9.79 seconds, setting a new personal best, to claim Olympic gold for the first time.
That's despite him being in last place with 30 metres to go.
"AMERICA. I TOLD YOU," he mouthed to the TV cameras as he crossed the line.
Jamaica's Thompson also recorded 9.79, but a freeze frame showed Lyles crossing the line first.
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Lyles came home in 9.784 seconds, while Thompson ran it in 9.789 - just five-thousandths slower.
Bronze was taken by US star Fred Kerley, who followed closely behind after running in 9.81 seconds.
The race was that fast and tight - only one of the competitors failed to run in sub 9.88 seconds.
It was a world record for a fourth-placed finish, a world record for fifth, a world record for sixth, a world record for seventh and a world record for eighth.
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Lyles made sure to make the most of ringing the Olympic bell, doing so several times as he soaked in being crowned champion.
"You couldn't have asked for a bigger moment," he said. "A guy in biomechanics comes down and before I came out here, he said it was going to be this much, that's how close it is going to be and gosh was he right.
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"I had to take every round as it was and I was a little upset after the first round so I came with the aggression and after I ran that 83 and I was done with the aggression.
"My sports therapist told me you need to let go, you're holding on. Let go and release it."
There was a long wait to crown the winner, and Lyles admits he thought Thompson had done it.
Men's 100m final - Results
- Noah Lyles (9.784 secs) (PB) - United States
- Kishane Thompson (9.789 secs) - Jamaica
- Fred Kerley (9.81 secs) (SB) - United States
- Akani Simbine (9.82 secs) (NR) - South Africa
- Marcell Jacobs (9.85 secs) (SB) - Italy
- Letsile Tebogo (9.86 secs) (NR) - Botswana
- Kenneth Bednarek (9.88 secs) - United States
- Oblique Seville (9.91 secs) - Jamaica
He said: "I did think (Thompson) had it at the end. I went up to him after, while we were waiting, and I even said 'I think you've got that, good going,' and then my name popped up and I'm like 'oh my gosh, I'm amazing'.
"I'm going to be honest, I wasn't ready to see it (his name) and that's the first time I've ever said that. I wasn't ready to see it.
"He was quite a few lanes down, he was in four, I was in seven so it was
Lyles is the first American to win the 100m since Justin Gatlin at Athens 2004.
The Florida-born star won three golds at last year's World Championships.
And he can still yet add to his impressive medal haul in Paris.
Lyles will also compete in the 200m and relay events this week.
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hard for me to picture where we were."
When asked about his upcoming 200m, the 27-year-old said: "Thank you God! Plenty more [to come]. I hope you guys like Noah, because I've got a lot more coming!"
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