Is Kishane Thompson the man to beat in the 100m at Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

Nationwide 90FM

Is Kishane Thompson the man to beat in the 100m at Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

Abigael Wafula 06:34 - 11.07.2024

Kishane Thompson has been consistent this season, posting sub-10 performances in all his races, and will certainly be lethal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Kishane Thompson might just be the man to beat in the 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games owing to his recent explosive form.

Thompson opened his season late, but that did not challenge his prowess in the 100m as he has only posted sub-10 performances in the build-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The 22-year-old opened his season at the JAAA Olympic French Foray 1 but could not finish the race. He then proceeded to the Jamaican Olympic trials, not a pre-race favourite but managed to exit the national stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, a changed athlete.

He was off to a great start in the preliminaries, winning the race in 9.82, before dominating the semifinal to claim top honours in 9.84. Thompson his stamped authority in the final, clocking a stunning 9.77, the world leading time, to win the race ahead of Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake who timed 9.82 and 9.92 respectively.

At the Gyulai Istvan Memorial, a Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix, Thompson also cemented his place as one of the superb 100m runners with his majestic performance.

He won the race in 9.91 ahead of Botswanan wunderkind Letsile Tebogo who finished second in a season best time of 9.99. South Africa’s Akani Simbine sealed the podium in a time of 10.01.

Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya X (Twitter) handle for more updates.

With his consistent performance, Thompson is certainly a threat to Noah Lyles, Ferdinand Omanyala, Tebogo, Zharnel Hughes and other sprinters ahead of the Olympics.

Injuries have slowed him down but he has proven to be lethal when in good shape and with the Olympic Games looming, the showdown will certainly be one of a kind. Jamaicans and Americans will once again renew their rivalry but Thompson will be a threat to their chances of medaling.

Lyles has also been consistent, but has not been unbeaten in the 100m, losing his race at the Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica. The American sprint king finished second behind Seville, equaling his personal best time of 9.83. However, he has been consistent in the 200m, going unbeaten.

Thompson comes as a huge threat to the chances of the triple world champion winning a gold medal at the Olympics. The men’s 100m will surely be a case of who blinks first when the gun goes off.