Noah Lyles, the 27-year-old Florida native shocked the track and field world when he captured the men's 100m title at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on August 4, 2024. In what is considered one of the closest 100m races, Lyles prevailed by winning in a personal best time. Lyles used his powerful finish to beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by 4/1000 of a second to capture the title. Both Lyles (9.784) and Thompson (9.789) were credited with identical times of 9.79 seconds. Fred Kerly of the USA was third in 9.81 seconds. South Africa’s Akani Simbime finished fourth in a national record time of 9.82 seconds with reigning 100m Olympic champion Marcell Jacob posting a season best 9.85 for fifth place. The field was rounded out by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo (9.86), a national record. USA’s Kenny Bednarek was seventh in 9.88 ahead of Jamaica’s Oblique Seville in 9.91.
Lyles Progression
Lyles, the reigning 100m world champion at the 2023 Budapest World Championship has been improving steadily as he focused on the 100m. Lyles posted a lifetime best 9.83 in Budapest. Since then, Lyles has worked assiduously on his starts by running a few indoor 60m races, setting a personal best time of 6.43 in February 2024 to capture the USA 60m Indoor title. Lyle came to Paris with a season and personal best 9.81 which represented the third fastest time of the year. Should we then be surprised when he posted a personal best 9.79 to take the gold in Paris?
Coming into the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Lyles has set his sights on 3 gold medals. He is on the right path since he was able to capture his first Olympic gold medal in the 100m. The 100m is considered his weaker event. The outspoken Lyles will now focus on his favorite event, the 200m and he is the overwhelming favorite to take that event. Lyles will lead a strong U.S. team in the men’s 4x100m relay as the USA is no doubt the prohibited favorite to take that event.
O’Neil A. Reid
Noah Lyles picture courtesy of Joe Swift Photography
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