Lyles returns Olympic glory to the USA in the 100 meters by five thousandths of a second

By just five-thousandths of a second, American Noah Lyles beat Jamaica's Kishane Thompson over the line to take Olympic gold in the 100 meters on Sunday in Paris.

The two finished with the same time, 9.79, and after a few moments of tense suspense it was announced on the scoreboards that Lyles had been slightly faster than the new Jamaican fireball, who was silver, while the also American Fred Kerley, world champion two years ago, was left with the bronze (9.81).

The last time an American had won the 100 meters at the Olympic Games was in Athens-2004, when Justin Gatlin triumphed.

The hatching of the 'Bolt era' closed the way after and the American sprint has regained the side this honor.

A relief for the sprinters of "Team USA", after Sha'Carri Richardson could settle for silver in this same event on Saturday, defeated then surprisingly by Julien Alfred from Santaluca.

First and foremost, "show"

Lyles' celebrations, his release after learning that he was the champion, were on a par with the tension that was breathed throughout, in a final with eight contenders with real medal options and an extremely even level.

Jumping, dancing, gestures to the camera, family hugs, rapper Snoop Dogg celebrating in the stands dressed in sportswear with the image of Lyles himself, stars and stripes flags waving: the night had gone perfectly for the sprinter from Florida.

After finishing the previous Games in Tokyo with a balance of a bronze in 200 meters, far from the expectations generated, Lyles could already celebrate at the age of 27 his first Olympic title.

After dazzling last year at the Budapest World Championship with a hat-trick of 100-200-4x100m titles, the ones Usain Bolt was used to achieving in his best years, Lyles seems determined to be the track star at Paris-2024 as well. .

Lyles will be the clear favorite for the title in the 200 meters, his favorite and reference event, before the eventual relays with Team USA, the foreseeable 4x100 meters but he could even aspire to a fourth with the 4x400 meters.

Thompson, by a whisker

For Thompson, who seemed to think he was the champion when he crossed the line, the silver is in any case the confirmation of his emergence among the best in the sprint, where he is still the fastest so far this year with a time of 9.77, two hundredths of a second below the time he clocked in the Stade de France.

He came close to emulating his illustrious compatriot and idol Usain Bolt, Olympic champion of this event three times in a row (2008, 2012, 2016).

Kerley, world champion in Eugene in 2022, returns with bronze to the podium of a major event, after having fallen in the semifinals at last year's World Championships.

Just one hundredth off the podium was South Africa's Akani Simbine (9.82).

Italian Marcell Jacobs surprise Olympic champion three years ago in Tokyo, was fifth this time, with a time of 9.85.