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Why Kishane Thompson is not getting carried away by constant comparisons to Asafa Powell.
Olympic 100m silver medalist Kishane Thompson is determined to carve out his own legacy in athletics, undeterred by frequent comparisons to Asafa Powell, another Jamaican sprint icon.
Thompson, who trains under Stephen Francis at MVP Track Club like Powell once did, narrowly missed the Olympic title in Paris, finishing just 0.005 seconds behind Noah Lyles. Both clocked an impressive 9.79 seconds in the final, but it was Lyles who edged to victory.
Earlier this year, Thompson had stunned spectators at the Jamaican Olympic Trials with a blistering 9.77-second performance, marking only his second season as a professional and positioning him as the fourth-fastest Jamaican in history.
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His composed approach on the track has drawn inevitable comparisons to Powell, whose effortless running style made him a two-time world record holder. Powell’s style was similarly laid-back, once slowing down just before the finish to still clinch the record in 2005.
Despite recognising some similarities, Thompson remains clear about his distinct identity. “It is a good comparison, but each his own—I am me, and he is him,” Thompson shared with the media.
“No offence. I really respect and love Asafa Powell; he has done so much for the country. There are similarities. We are both explosive and about the same build, but at the end of the day, I am me, and he is him.”
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The legendary sprinter Justin Gatlin also weighed in on the comparisons, dismissing claims that Thompson is “Asafa 2.0.” Gatlin commented on his Ready Set Go podcast, “I think Kishane is his own person.
“ First of all, Asafa has got more running style. I’m not saying Kishane doesn’t have good form, but it’s not alike.” He added, “Kishane has a whole different swagger. He is his own person.”
Meanwhile Powell himself had advised Kishane Thompson to keep his focus on self-development rather than external expectations.
“Jamaica is not a country to carry on your back. These people are very hard on the athletes. They love you to death, but they’re tough,” Powell said on his The Powells YouTube channel.
“You need to focus on yourself, be yourself, be selfish.”
The 23-year-old Thompson now stands poised to continue his rise in the sport, navigating the fine balance between learning from icons and forging his unique path amidst the pressures of being Jamaica’s next sprint star. With resilience and singular focus, Thompson is well on his way to cementing his own place in the annals of sprinting.
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