Source: Alex Pantling / Getty
On Sunday, Noah Lyles silenced his doubters by proving he’s the fastest man in the world.
Lyles clocked a personal best of 9.78 seconds to win the Gold Medal in the 100-meter dash at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in a photo finish. He edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just 0.005 seconds. Lyles’ teammate Fred Kerley earned bronze with a time of 9.81 seconds, finishing just ahead of South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who completed the race in 9.82 seconds.
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This race marked the closest 100m Final in the Modern Olympics since the 1980 Moscow Games, where Britain’s Allan Wells narrowly defeated Silvio Leonard for the Gold.
Lyles’ victory also ended a 20-year drought for U.S. athletes in the event, with the last Gold Medal being earned by Justin Gatlin in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Lyles had raised concerns about his chances when he lost his quarter-final heat to NCAA 100m champion Louie Hinchliffe of Great Britain. Lyles admitted to underestimating his competitors but told NBC Sports, “I think I’m more excited now that I didn’t win that heat. I’m pretty scared for everybody else right now.”
And his confidence was justified.
On social media, some were delighted to see Lyles falter in the prelims due to his controversial comments in August 2023 about NBA players being called “World Champions” after winning the NBA Finals. Lyles had stated, “You know, the thing that hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals, and they have ‘world champion’ on their head. World champion of what? The United States? Don’t get me wrong. I love the US at times. But that ain’t the world. We [World Athletics Championships] are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting and thriving and putting on a flag to show that they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA.”
Due to his outspoken nature, some hoped Lyles would not succeed. But now, he stands as the fastest man in the world.
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