In a nail-biting finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Noah Lyles of the United States clinched gold in the men’s 100m final by a razor-thin margin.
Lyles, who clocked a personal best of 9.79 seconds, edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who finished with the same time but had to settle for silver in the closest Olympic 100m finish in modern history.
The bronze medal went to Fred Kerley of the United States, who timed 9.81 seconds.
The final, held at the Stade de France, was marked by an astonishingly close contest where all eight finalists finished within just 0.12 seconds of each other.
Defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy and rising Jamaican star Oblique Seville were among those who missed the podium, with Jacobs placing fifth and Seville finishing last.
For Nigeria, the 2024 Olympics proved a challenging debut in the men’s 100m.
Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi and Favour Ashe, who had both shown promise earlier in the competition, were unable to advance to the final.
Ajayi, who won his heat on Saturday, finished sixth in the second semi-final with a time of 10.13 seconds. Ashe also placed sixth in his semi-final, falling short of the final round.
Despite their strong performances in the heats, the Nigerian duo’s journey in Paris came to an end in the semi-finals.
Lyles, seventh at the halfway point of the final, expressed his excitement and relief after the race.
“You couldn’t have asked for a bigger moment,” Lyles told BBC Sport. “I’m thrilled to have come out on top in such a competitive field and I’m looking forward to the 200m and relay events.”
The final, held at the Stade de France, was marked by an astonishingly close contest where all eight finalists finished within just 0.12 seconds of each other.
Defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy and rising Jamaican star Oblique Seville were among those who missed the podium, with Jacobs placing fifth and Seville finishing last.
For Nigeria, the 2024 Olympics proved a challenging debut in the men’s 100m.
Kanyinsola Ajayi and Favour Ashe, who had both shown promise earlier in the competition, were unable to advance to the final. Ajayi, who won his heat on Saturday, finished sixth in the second semi-final with a time of 10.13 seconds. Ashe also placed sixth in his semi-final, falling short of the final round.
