Noah Lyles Wins 100m Olympic Gold In The Fastest Race Of All Time

USA’s Noah Lyles has won a sensational men’s 100m Olympic gold in a time of 9.79, in what was one of the greatest 100m races ever run. 

Given the biggest stage in sport, all eyes were on the eight fastest men in the world, who were competing for the most important prize of their lives. It came down to a dramatic photo finish.

It was a breathless 10 seconds from the gun to the finish, and the race was so close that any one of four men looked to have won. The world continued to hold our breath waiting for the photo to tell us whether it was pre-race favourite Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, USA’s Tokyo silver medallist Fred Kerley, the underdog South African Akani Simbine, or sprint’s superstar showman Noah Lyles.

In the end, five thousandths of a second (that’s 0.005!) separated Lyles in first from Thompson in second. The minutest margin for the most monumental victory. Kerley won bronze.

There has never been a final so close in Olympic Games history, with all eight men finishing within 0.12 seconds of each other. There has never been a faster overall Olympic 100m race, and it’s the first time that all men finished under 10 seconds in wind-legal conditions. The times for finishing in fourth through eighth were all world records for their places. It was remarkable. 

To win, Lyles had to run a personal best time, and it came after he’d finished second in both his opening heat and his semi final. He wasn’t the favourite to win the final, but the world’s greatest prove themselves when it really matters. This win was also the US’s first men’s 100m gold since the Athens 2006 Games when Justin Gatlin won.

Lyles came to Paris telling us he’d win three gold medals. One down, two to go. Or maybe that should be 100m down, 200m to go – and the 200m is his preferred distance.

KEELY & KERR KEEP UP BRITISH MEDAL CHANCES

The men’s 100m final was Sunday’s headline performance, but there were some big support acts ahead of Lyles’s win. 

Keely Hodgkinson comfortably won her women’s 800m heat, but neither Jemma Reekie nor Phoebe Gill progressed to the final. Hodgkinson remains one of the top medal hopes for Team GB on the track. The women’s 800m final is Monday evening at 8.45pm (BST), and is run just after the women’s 5000m.

In the men’s 1500m, GB’s Josh Kerr eased into the final along with his great rival, Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Neil Gourley finished third in his semi to go through, but GB’s George Mills just missed out on the final.

In the men’s 400m, Team GB’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, the fastest man over 400m in the world this year, cruised into the semi final. Teammate Charlie Dobson also eased into the semis.

And in the men’s 100m semi finals, which were run less than two hours before the final, Team GB’s hopes were on Louie Hinchliffe, who’s 9.97 was enough for third in his semi, but wasn’t fast enough for the final, while Zharnel Hughes finished sixth (10.01) in his semi.

THIS MORNING’S ACTION

And there was even more action on a busy day on the track!

Following their disappointment in yesterday’s women’s 100m, GB’s Dina Asher-Smith and Darryl Neita both progressed straight to the semi finals in the women’s 200m, as did Bianca Williams, the third Brit in the heats. 

Also qualifying in the 200m were the 100m gold and silver medallists, St Lucia’s Julien Alfred and USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson. USA’s Gabby Thomas, who won 200m bronze in Tokyo and is the fastest woman over 200m this year, also qualified. Thomas will now be favourite for gold as the reigning world champion, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, withdrew from the competition. The women’s 200m final is Tuesday at 8.40pm (BST). 

In the 400m hurdles, Femke Bol was back in the track after helping the Dutch win gold in the 4 x 400m mixed relay. She comfortably won her heat, with GB’s Lina Nielsen qualifying in second. Jessie Knight finished fifth so will run again in the repechage round. USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, defending Olympic champion and world record holder, also won her heat to move to the semi finals. The race between Bol and McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the most highly-anticipated on the Paris track. 

GB’s Elizabeth Bird is into the final of the women’s 300m steeplechase, which takes place on Tuesday evening. 

And there was heartbreaking news for GB’s Charlotte Purdue who announced via Instagram that she’d injured her ankle in training and has had to withdraw from the Paris Olympic Marathon. Clara Evans will be her replacement in the marathon which takes place next Sunday.

Here’s the full running schedule of events to come this week at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

And if you want to hear behind the scenes actions from Paris, then the The Running Channel team are in the French capital recording a new podcast every morning! You can listen here.

Lead photo: Getty Images / Michael Steele