Aug. 4 (UPI) — Noah Lyles flung his body forward at the finish line to beat Jamaican Kishane Thompson by .005 of a second, becoming the first U.S. Olympic champion in the men’s 100 meters in 20 years Sunday in Saint-Denis.
Lyles clocked a personal-best time of 9.784 in the storied event, which results in the moniker of “World’s Fastest Man” for its winner at every Olympics.
Thompson, who finished in 9.789, earned a silver medal. Team USA’s Fred Kerley finished in 9.81 seconds to win a bronze medal, while American Kenneth Bednarek (9.88) placed seventh.
Lyles appeared slow out of the blocks but gained on Thompson over the final 50 meters. He then willed his upper body forward just before the finish line, beating his Jamaican foe by the narrowest of margins.
“America, I told you,” Lyles said into the NBC cameras after he was officially announced as the winner. “I got this.”
With his photo-finish, Lyles became the first American man to win the Olympic event since Justin Gatlin in 2004.
Lyles, who won a bronze medal in the 200-meter sprint at Tokyo 2020, is now halfway finished with his goal of becoming the 10th man in history to win the Olympic double — capturing gold medals in the 100 meters and 200 meters.
Jamaican Usain Bolt won both events in 2008 to become the first man to achieve the double since American Carl Lewis in 1984. Olympic icon Jesse Owens also accomplished the feat in 1936.
No other Americans won medals in track and field events Sunday at Stade de France. Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh won gold in the women’s high jump. Canada’s Ethan Katzberg won gold in the men’s hammer throw.
Lyles’ gold medal marked the second won by an American in athletics so far in Paris. Ryan Crouser earned the first by winning the men’s shot put final Saturday at Stade de France.
Qualifying for the men’s 200-meter final will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Saint-Denis. The final will be at 12:30 p.m. MDT Thursday at Stade de France. That event will air on NBC.
