Noah Lyles 100m photos: Best pictures of USA sprinter's gold medal race at 2024 Paris Olympics

The title of the world's fastest man returns to the United States after Noah Lyles edged out Jamaica's Kishane Thompson in the 100-meter dash.

The 2024 Paris Olympics have hosted numerous exciting moments throughout the first week of competition, but not many come close to this race. It had been highly anticipated as Lyles talked his game, which included taking a shot at the NBA .

He backed up his claims, winning gold in a photo finish on Sunday, Aug. 4. He became the first male USA runner to win gold in the 100-meter dash since 2004.

Just about every moment of the race was tense and exciting, from the longer-than-usual wait to Lyles' celebration with his mother . As hours have passed since the race, photos are still flooding the internet.

Here are some of the best photos and videos from the 100-meter dash at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

MORE: Full results, highlights from Day 3 of track and field at 2024 Paris Olympics

Best photos from Noah Lyles' 100-meter dash

Cameras caught just about every angle of this year's 100-meter final. Overhead shots, side-by-side views, and even graphics that show the runners at each frame of the race.

This overhead shot, taken right at the finish line, provides a different angle of just how close the race really was. You might still think that Kishane Thompson in lane 4 edged out Lyles in lane 7 even after looking at this picture.

(James Lang/USA Today Network)

Here's a slightly different angle at the finish line, where it's a little clearer that Lyles won...right?

(James Lang/USA Today Network)

This overhead view, taken roughly midway through the race, gives an idea of how much ground Lyles, third from the bottom, had to make up on Thompson, third from the top — and practically every other runner in the field.

(James Lang/USA Today Network)

Still not convinced? Check out the overlay of the race roughly every 10 meters. Lyles was actually in last place at the 40m mark.

The view from behind provides a similar perspective of how far ahead Thompson appeared to be with just 50 meters remaining.

(Getty Images)

Even among the blur caused by their blazing speeds, you can see the determination on both Thompson's and Lyles' faces as they lunge for the finish line.

(Getty Images)

Nothing was final until the official photo-finish photo below was inspected by the race officials.

After sprinting at max speeds of over 20 mph for just under 10 seconds, Thompson and Lyles stand still, waiting to find out who will be wearing the gold medal — an unusual sight for any Olympic sprinting event.

Yukihito Taguchi/USA TODAY NETWORK

Among the thousands of photos of Lyles' celebration —from defiantly showing off his name card to ringing the victory bell — this triumphant picture of Lyles wearing the American flag like a superhero's cape projected near one of the most iconic structures in the world might just be the defining image of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

(Getty Images)

Finally, amid a sea of cameras and spectators from all over the world, the fastest and most famous man on the planet, if only for a moment, slows down to find his family and embrace his biggest fan — his mother.

(Getty Images)

They say pictures are worth 1,000 words, but you really only need one to sum up the 2024 Olympic men's 100m final: Legendary.