He burst into the arena like a comet, making his entrance before his name was even announced, bounding along the track with an almost frenzied energy. The other competitors readied themselves, hearts racing in anticipation. Noah Lyles, however, simply danced his arms around, energizing the spectators.
The challenge with such a grand entrance — one that surpassed even the theatrics of the legendary Usain Bolt — is the risk of arrogance.
Lyles has hyped himself up for so long that he created an immense pressure tower reaching up to the expansive blue Paris sky. For a considerable stretch of time, in the context of this most significant race of all, it appeared as if that weight was crashing down upon him.
In the initial 10 meters of this remarkable Olympic final, he found himself in last place. After 30 meters, the situation hadn’t improved. But as he conquered the start, long known to be his weakness, he surged like a gladiator, overtaking two brilliant yet unsuspecting Jamaicans, who were hopeful of reviving the spirit of Bolt, to seize victory in the most thrilling 100 meters men’s final ever.
For 20 breathtaking seconds, Lyles was silent. He stood stunned next to Kishane Thompson, the Jamaican who appeared to be the likely winner, locked in on the stadium screen as a seven-way photo finish unfolded.
Noah Lyles won gold in the greatest men’s Olympic 100m final ever as he responded superbly
Lyles won by five thousandths of a second as he managed to claim his first Olympic gold
The USA star was full of confidence before the race and he managed to secure glory
Then, it was official. In the very stadium where Lyles made his 100m debut two years prior, he won by a mere five-thousandths of a second. Just 0.12 seconds separated all eight athletes in the race. Michael Johnson had forecasted it would be ‘the most competitive in 15 years’. He was correct.
This marks the 27-year-old’s first Olympic gold and the United States’ first victory in the marquee distance since Justin Gatlin triumphed in Athens in 2004.
Don’t be completely misled by Lyles’ bravado. The ‘big noise,’ as one magazine cover labeled his self-promotion, or the tattoo across his abs stating ‘icon,’ serves as a reminder of ‘the legacy I want to leave behind.’
Yet, sports can be a ruthless equalizer. It only rewards champions. No one cares about your stylish nails or music playlists when you’re not clinching victories. Every moment in athletics builds toward this Sunday night every four years. This race is paramount.
This explains why the bronze medal that Lyles earned in Tokyo caused him such distress. He had battled personal struggles prior to that summer, working to overcome depression while striving for peak fitness.
Behind that towering ego, he was aware of the vulnerabilities in his game. Like Bolt, he has never excelled at getting out of the blocks quickly, despite the diligent efforts from his coach Lance Brauman. He found himself trailing in all three races that led him to this gold.
Yet, his conviction propelled him forward. ‘Everyone is healthy; everyone was ready to fight, and I want to show that I’m the top contender among them. I’m the wolf among the wolves.’
What a stark contrast this created when compared to the British athletes who participated in the semi-finals.
After ten metres of this extraordinary Olympic final, he was last but Lyles managed to win
Kishane Thompson looked to have won the race but ended up having to settle for silver
Team GB’s Zharnel Hughes vanished from the picture after finishing sixth in third semi-final
Louie Hinchliffe became the first athlete in the Olympic history not to make the final with a sub ten-second speed
Inspired by his experience of pushing Lyles into second place during the first round and coming close to his peak performance in the semi-final, Sheffield runner Louie Hinchliffe struggled to find his footing in the final. Hinchliffe made history as the first athlete to miss the Olympic final despite clocking a sub-ten-second time, finishing third in 9.97 — just two-hundredths of a second shy of his personal best — yet still not advancing. This highlighted the remarkable speed of the evening.
‘Perhaps I should have relaxed more,’ Hinchliffe reflected. ‘I think I was a bit anxious towards the end.’
This was not a good omen for Zharnel Hughes, a Briton who had secured a semi-final victory in Tokyo and reached the final. Hughes had yet to break the ten-second barrier all season and faded from contention after finishing sixth in the third semi-final with a time of 10.01.
The organizers chose purple for this stunning, expansive Olympic track to reflect the lavender fields of southern France, and Lyles aspires to achieve much more than this. He aims for gold in the 200m, which he regards as his ‘main event,’ referring to the 100m as merely its ‘side attraction.’
He also covets the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, which would elevate him to the ranks of legends such as Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis, who were crowned four times in 1936 and 1984, respectively.
His description of the moment he realized he had clinched victory reveals a man brimming with self-assurance. ‘To see my name appear,’ he exclaimed. ‘I thought, “Goodness gracious, I’m remarkable.”’
