The men’s 100 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics was expected to be one of the most fascinating sprints of all time, with a lineup of genuine stars and a wide range of competitors. The race not only lived up to expectations, but far exceeded them with perhaps the closest finish ever.
Noah Lyles of the United States won the gold medal by one-fifth of a second over Kishane Thompson of Jamaica, who won silver. Fred Curley of the United States won the bronze medal. Lyles and Thompson each ran an official time of 9.79 seconds, a difference so small it was hard to notice in real time.
The announcers quickly declared Thompson the winner, but they were wrong. This was one of the most thrilling races I’ve ever seen. Watch the full Men’s 100 Meter Race from the Paris 2024 Olympics here.
The announcer explains that the race will be decided by whose torso/collarbone crosses the finish line first. This is the finish line.
It really was that close.
The official times were: Lyles won by 0.005 seconds. Lyles had won the bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
I was 0.03 seconds away from winning the Olympic gold medal and missing out on the podium. I was only 0.12 seconds away from first place. What a race!
Is this the closest race in Olympic history? Maybe. In 1932, when American Eddie Tolan beat teammate Ralph Metcalf in a photo finish, they both finished in 10.38 seconds.
Lyles and Thompson made history with a photo finish, and the 2024 Paris Olympics will be home to another iconic moment.
