Kishane Thompson started his season clocking 6.48 seconds into a -2.0 headwind, a time that suggests strong early-season form. However, his race execution has drawn scrutiny.
American sprint legend Justin Gatlin has offered insights into how Kishane Thompson can close the gap on Noah Lyles, particularly with a potential showdown looming at the World Indoor Championships in the 60 meters.
Both sprinters have opened their 2025 campaigns in impressive fashion, though their performances have sparked contrasting reactions.
Thompson started his season at the Central Hurdles Relays and Field Events, clocking 6.48 seconds into a -2.0 headwind, a time that suggests strong early-season form. However, his race execution has drawn scrutiny.
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08:22 - 01.02.2025
‘On a different path’- Justin Gatlin on the strategy Noah Lyles is using to stay ahead of Kishane Thompson
Justin Gatlin has revealed the strategy Noah Lyles has implimented in his 60 meter running that could make him have an edge over Kishane Thompson in the 100 meters down the road this season.
Rodney Greene, co-host of Gatlin’s Ready Set Go podcast, highlighted the key difference between the two sprinters' approaches. While Lyles controlled his race from the 20-meter mark, Thompson had to recover from a slow start.
"Kishane had a bad start, and he still rolled out the 6.58. You cannot read too much into this 6.5. I think he is in 6.4 shape for real," Greene noted.
"But you see him kind of motor his way back to the front and dip for the line. Noah looked like he controlled his race from pretty much the 20 meters—it was the Noah show."
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15:00 - 01.02.2025
'It’s either all or nothing'- American sprint legend argues why Noah Lyles must prove himself indoors
The four-time world champion has given a candid explanation as to why Noah Lyles will have to show up and impress in his indoor races before proceeding to the outdoor schedule.
With both sprinters refining key aspects of their races, their rivalry is set to intensify—especially if they face off at the World Indoors. Gatlin believes that if Lyles continues to improve his starts, he could once again have the upper hand when it matters most.
While Greene suggests that Thompson’s performance indicates he could have gone even faster, Gatlin pointed out that weather conditions play a significant role in training consistency.
“The advantage is to the South… You still have warm weather—moderately warm weather—throughout the South; you still can train outdoors, and it gives them an advantage,” Gatlin explained.
However, the common consensus remains that Thompson’s biggest challenge will be staying healthy. If he can address his starting inconsistencies while maintaining peak fitness, the battle between him and Lyles could produce some of the most electrifying moments of the 2025 season.