In a photo finish now seared into Olympic history, Noah Lyles backed up his talk: he's the world's fastest man.
Lyles edged past Jamaican Kishane Thompson to win his first Olympic gold medal in a lifetime-best 9.784 seconds. Lyles crossed the finish line just five thousandths of a second ahead of Thompson, who posted a time of 9.789. The result wasn't clear until nearly 30 seconds after the end of the race, as the competitors waited nervously for the details of their photo finish.
When the result finally flashed on the Stade de France videoboard, Lyles' eyes bulged. He screamed jubilantly. He was a gold medalist. Thompson took silver, and American Fred Kerley claimed bronze, Kerley's second career Olympic medal in the 100m.
Lyles is the first American man to win 100m gold since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Games. For Lyles, the triumph completes a monumental turnaround after finishing seventh in the 100m at U.S. Trials in 2021. He's now the top 100m runner on Earth for the second year in a row.
“It’s been a rollercoaster," Lyles said moments after winning gold. "In the 100m, it’s my first time here on the Olympic stage. You only need one. As long as that’s the last one, that’s all that matters.”
This was the tightest 100m final in global racing history — not just at the Olympics, but anywhere. When the race began, Lyles was actually in last place after 40 meters. He roared back but still trailed Thompson by .01 seconds after 90 meters. But the new Olympic champion drew from his reserves to launch himself forward in his final stride.
After taking silver, Thompson told reporters in his media session that Lyles turned to him immediately after the finish and said, "Hey Kishane, I think you got it done."
Turns out, Lyles' instinct was wrong. Thompson's foot appeared to cross the finish line before any of Lyles' feet, but that's irrelevant. Olympic rules stipulate that the first athlete whose torso — not a foot, not the head — reaches the finish line is declared the winner. On Sunday, that was Lyles.
"I'ma be honest, I was shocked," Lyles told NBC Sports' Lewis Johnson after the race. "I thought I got out-leaned, truly. Me and Kishane were right next to each other and I was like, 'I'ma have to swallow my pride on this one'
I said, 'I think you had that one.' And then my name came up and I was like, 'Oh shoot, I'm incredible.'
A picture tells a thousand words, and the only word that mattered on Sunday night for Lyles was gold.
For Thompson, it was silver, the first Olympic medal for a 23-year-old with more on the way, if all goes according to plan. The Jamaican's star status has crystallized — he entered Paris as the 2024 world leader in the 100m.
“I wasn’t patient enough with myself to let my speed bring me at the line," Thompson continued. “I know that Jamaica would have wanted me to get the gold. Everybody loves winners. I would have loved to win today, but big up to the whole field.”
Three hundredths of a second behind Lyles at the line was his U.S. teammate Kerley, who has come back to the Olympic podium after his disappointing failure to qualify for the 100m final at 2023 Worlds. Kerley vowed after that shortcoming to lock in on his training, nutrition and mindset. He promised to turn himself back into a top contender. On Sunday night in Paris, he did.
“I feel that I executed as best as I could," Kerley said. "I came here for the gold and nothing else but, hey, everybody came here for the same thing, and only one can win.
“I don’t feel frustration, because I’m facing the best in the world. At the end of the day, not many people can say they came to the Olympic Games. Whoever came off the best is the best. It’s my second time around, and I’m going off with a medal."
But this night, this race, those 9.784 seconds, were about Lyles: Olympic champion, at last.
As is custom with a megastar like Lyles, there's more. In four days, he'll vie to accomplish something just nine men in Olympic history have achieved: the 100m-200m double, winning both titles in the same Olympics. Lyles has stated his intention to become the 10th man to do it, and the first American since the legendary Carl Lewis in 1984.
“None of them [are] winning," Lyles said of his 200m competition. "When I come off the turn, they will be depressed.”
The 200m has long been Lyles' best event, one he refers to as his "baby."
“We’re coming after everything,” Lyles said this February. “All the Olympic medals. I don’t care who wants it. It’s mine.”
For now, that first medal, the 100m Olympic gold, is his — by the tiniest margin you could conceive.