Olympic 100m Record: Lyles Secures Gold in Epic Finish

Olympic history was made as a stunning pre-race light show and dramatic music at the Stade de France set the stage for one of the most exhilarating 100m races ever. Noah Lyles emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish, securing his first Olympic gold by just five-thousandths of a second over Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson with a winning time of 9.79 seconds. In this historic race, all eight finalists finished within 0.12 seconds of each other.

Oblique Seville, who came in last, crossed the line in 9.91 seconds, a time that would have secured fourth place in the Tokyo Games. It marked the first time in history that eight men ran under 10 seconds in a wind-legal race. Michael Johnson hailed the race as the best 100m final ever, praising its dramatic finish. The outcome was so tight that the official results were uncertain for several minutes.

Lyles, who had a slow reaction time and was in last place at the 40m mark, surged past his rivals with a top speed of 43.6 km/h to clinch the gold. Despite Thompson’s lead from 30m to 10m from the finish line, Lyles’s exceptional final sprint secured his win. The race inspired record-breaking performances from Akani Simbine, Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Letsile Tebogo, Kenny Bednarek and Seville, all setting personal bests.

Lyles, who aspires to follow in Usain Bolt’s footsteps, is now targeting additional gold medals in the 200m and the 4x400m relay. His victory and bold ambitions highlight his pursuit of a legacy in track and field, as he continues to impress on the world stage.