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Amidst the many setbacks Thompson has been through over his career, he has now revealed what he wants to achieve for the rest of his career, and it is not medalling.
Jamaican 100m Olympic silver medalist Kishane Thompson has revealed that his ultimate goal in track and field goes beyond just collecting medals.
The 23-year-old sprinter, whose promising career has been repeatedly derailed by injuries, is now focused on enjoying the sport and constantly improving, regardless of external expectations.
Thompson came agonizingly close to claiming gold in the 100m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He ran an incredible 9.79 seconds, but was narrowly beaten by American sprinter Noah Lyles, who edged him out by a thousandth of a second in a dramatic photo finish.
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17:00 - 12.09.2024
Kishane Thompson agrees with Justin Gatlin on the high standards Usain Bolt set that defined a sprinting generation
Kishane Thompson has expressed admiration for the high standards Usain Bolt set in sprinting that churned out a generation of other sprinters that clocked sub 9.8 speeds.
Despite both athletes crossing the line simultaneously, the victory was awarded to Lyles, leaving Thompson with the silver medal.
While his performance in Paris cemented his status as one of the fastest men in the world, Thompson’s career has been hindered by a series of injury setbacks that have kept him from competing at his best on the international stage.
His potential was evident earlier in the season when he clocked a world-leading 9.77 seconds at the Jamaican Nationals in June, but his limited international experience—due to frequent injuries—has stifled his ability to consistently showcase his talent.
Thompson reflected on his journey and how injuries have impacted his love for the sport.
“Competition can be really tense because we all want to win, but I always tell myself that track and field is based on competition, and despite the fact that someone like me has been through a lot of setbacks, I just want to get to the point where we can run fast and enjoy ourselves,” Thompson shared with the media prior to the Paris Olympics.
Thompson’s career, though relatively young, has already seen its share of highs and lows. Despite his injury troubles, he managed to win his first senior international race earlier in the year at the Gyulai István Memorial Continental Tour Gold meet, beating promising athletes like Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo in the process.
However, these victories have been sporadic due to his inability to maintain peak physical condition.
His struggle with injuries has left him frustrated at times, but Thompson is now more focused on enjoying each race, embracing the competition rather than just the results.
“From a tender age, I always loved the sport but wanted to enjoy myself in it, so I am starting to get that feeling because at one point it was very tense, and I could not go out there to do what I loved,” Thompson said.
Thompson’s 2023 season was marked by his participation in three Diamond League events, where he placed fifth in Monaco, second in Xiamen, and fourth at the final in Eugene, Oregon. These performances, while impressive, have left the sprinter feeling there’s always room for improvement.
“Everything. I can always better myself,” Thompson added, reflecting on his approach to competition. “If someone said that ‘hey, he has a better transition or hey, he has a good reaction,’ I always can better it. If in the public eyes it was phenomenal, I think I can always better my best.”
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