Weeks after both Fred Kerley and Kishane Thompson revealed what cost then gold at the Olympic 100 meter final, Noah Lyles has now bragged over his narrowly-won title, aiming a jibe back at the duo.
Noah Lyles the newly crowned Olympic 100m champion, has unapologetically asserted his dominance in the sprinting world, sending a bold message to rivals Kishane Thompson and Fred Kerley.
Lyles, who stormed to victory in a tightly contested final at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a time of 9.79 seconds, has made it clear he’s here to stay as the world’s fastest man.
Lyles’ gold-medal-winning performance narrowly edged out Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson, who clocked the same time but was relegated to silver in a photo finish
13:00 - 27.11.2024
Kishane Thompson reveals three things he learnt about his 2024 season that will make him dethrone 'biggest rival' Noah Lyles
Kishane Thompson has revealed the three biggest things about his 2024 season that will make him dethrone Noah Lyles moving forward.
. Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion, secured bronze with a time of 9.81 seconds after a misstep in his transition phase derailed his chances of clinching the top spot.
Kerley later reflected on his performance during the Ready Set Go podcast, admitting his mistake.
"I gave that race up," Kerley confessed. "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 added that he struggled to clearly gauge his competitors' positions, which compounded his error.
Thompson, who had entered the Olympics as a favorite following a scintillating 9.77-second run at the Jamaican trials, offered a different perspective. Rather than focus on external factors, he turned the spotlight inward, expressing dissatisfaction with his own performance.
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 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," Thompson stated to Television Jamaica.
He emphasized his self-driven approach, saying, "No disrespect to anyone, but I am myself. Other persons are themselves. 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."
While his rivals analyzed their shortcomings, Lyles relished his golden moment. Speaking on Netflix’s Sprint series, he celebrated not only his victory but also the historic significance of his achievement for American sprinting.
“It has been 20 years since the 100-meter champion has come from the U.S.,” Lyles said, referencing Justin Gatlin’s 2004 Olympic triumph. “It has been Jamaica constantly, but I brought it back to the U.S.”
19:47 - 08.11.2024
'No disrespect to anyone but I defeated myself' - Kishane Thompson disagrees with Fred Kerley on who deserved to clinch Olympic 100m gold
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.
Unfazed by any criticism or rival claims, Lyles added with swagger, “You can say whatever you want about the world champion, Olympic champion. You are stuck with me for four years, baby.”
With his Olympic gold medal, Lyles has firmly established himself as the man to beat in the sprinting world. However, his rivals, particularly Thompson and Kerley, are likely to use this loss as motivation to challenge his reign in the coming years.
For now, Lyles basks in his hard-earned victory, unapologetically wearing the crown of the fastest man alive.