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Kishane Thompson has begged to differ with Fred Kerley's opinion as to who should have been the rightful winner of the final of the 100 meter race, which was won by Noah Lyles by miliseconds.
Jamaican sprint star Kishane Thompson has firmly rebuffed statements from American sprinter Fred Kerley, who recently suggested that no one but he deserved the gold medal in the men’s 100-meter dash final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The tightly contested race saw Noah Lyles clinch gold with a stellar time of 9.79 seconds, edging out Thompson by mere milliseconds as they both clocked the same time.
Kerley, the 2022 world champion and former Olympic silver medalist, settled for third with a time of 9.81 seconds after a costly transition misstep.
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14:03 - 25.10.2024
'I gave that race up'- Fred Kerley explains why he deserved the 100m win at Paris Olympics over Noah Lyles
Fred Kerley has explained the misstep that cost him the 100m Olympic title in Paris, believing neither Kishane Thompson nor Noah Lyles deserved to beat him, though he still considers the race one of his best.
In a candid discussion on the Ready Set Go podcast, Kerley reflected on his performance, admitting he had a strong start but struggled during a crucial part of the race. "I gave that race up," Kerley explained.
"When I got up, I was killing them, but when I got to my transition, I took a step backward… I lost that race." He also noted that he couldn’t see his competitors clearly, making it difficult to gauge his position. Kerley concluded that the race outcome came down to his botched transition.
Yet Thompson, who had come into the Olympics as one of the favorites after an eye-catching 9.77-second run at the Jamaican trials in June, wasn’t convinced by Kerley’s reasoning.
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17:43 - 03.11.2024
Shericka Jackson's biggest concern after injury-hampered season: 'What if I never get an Olympic Gold?'
Jackson has revealed her biggest worry after being forced to miss the Paris 2024 Olympics at the age of 29 due to injuries.
In his view, his own performance, not anyone else’s misstep, was his primary focus and the true measure of success. He shared his thoughts on the race with Television Jamaica, expressing both satisfaction at finishing injury-free and frustration over his near miss with the gold.
"Honestly, I am glad I finished injury-free," Thompson stated to Television Jamaica after losing the race, "but in terms of performance, I am not being hyper or anything. I know what I am capable of, but I am not really satisfied with it."
He hinted that his high expectations for himself were not entirely met, though he acknowledged the experience as part of his journey. "I should have been more patient with myself. I am growing and learning, and I have got more to understand about my body, mind, and spirit."
Thompson was clear about his competitive mindset, emphasizing that he views himself as his main competitor. "No disrespect to anyone, but I am myself. Other persons are themselves," he said, underscoring his personal drive over any rivalry with fellow athletes.
"I cannot really look at a person and say, ‘Hey, they did that.’ I just compare myself with myself… I defeated myself; for example, I didn’t even PB."
Thompson’s reflections reveal a mature perspective on the high-stakes world of elite sprinting, where races are often won or lost by razor-thin margins. As he looks toward future competitions, he remains optimistic about what lies ahead, promising that "next time, for sure it is going to get better."
While Kerley cited his transition misstep as the reason he didn’t come out on top, Thompson seems focused on refining his own performance for what he believes will be inevitable victories in the future.
For Thompson, it’s clear that the only competition he’s truly interested in is the one against himself.
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