American sprinter Noah Lyles won gold in the men’s 100-meter sprint Sunday on day nine of the 2024 Paris Olympics in a finish so close even the announcers didn’t know who won the race.
After the official times came in, Lyles was determined to have crossed the finish line just a hair ahead of Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, with the men posting respective times of 9.784 and 9.789 seconds. According to the Associated Press, Lyles’ .005-second lead was one of the closest sprints in the Games’ history.
Team USA’s Fred Kerley claimed the bronze with a time of 9.81 seconds.
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Despite a slow start off the blocks, Lyles picked up the pace down the stretch in Paris’ Stade de France to secure his first Olympic gold medal.
Lyles is the first American to win gold in the 100-meter event since Justin Gatlin in 2004. He took to social media after the win, posting a picture of his signature “Kamehameha” celebration from the Japanese television series “Dragon Ball.”
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Outside of the Olympics, Lyles won three world championships last summer, in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4×100-meter relay – the first person to do so since legendary sprinter Usain Bolt. In a news conference after the championship, Lyles made headlines for criticizing the NBA.
Lyles previously won a bronze medal in the 200-meter sprint at the Tokyo Olympics. He is set to compete again in the 200-meter and the 4×100-meter relay in Paris.
You can find a schedule of Lyles’ upcoming events here.