Noah Lyles: Sprint sensation claims 100m glory at Paris 2024 Olympics

American star grabs gold as he edges out Jamaica's Kishane Thompson by just five thousandths of a second

Noah Lyles of United States celebrates after winning gold in the 100 metres. Reuters

Noah Lyles of United States celebrates after winning gold in the 100 metres. Getty Images

A tight finish in the 100m final. Getty Images

Noah Lyles of Team United States crosses the finish line. Getty Images

Noah Lyles crosses the finish line to win gold. Getty Images

Noah Lyles, centre, of the USA wins the Men 100m final. EPA

Noah Lyles of USA and Kishane Thompson of Jamaica wait for the result. EPA

Noah Lyles of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal. Getty Images

Silver medalist Kishane Thompson of Team Jamaica. Getty Images

Oblique Seville (bottom) of Team Jamaica is consoled by silver medalist Kishane Thompson. Getty Images

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Sprint king Noah Lyles powered to gold in the closest 100m final in modern Olympic history on Sunday night, edging his closest rival Kishane Thompson by just five thousandths of a second.

Lyles became the first American, male or female, to win the event since Justin Gatlin claimed the gold medal in the 2004 Athens Games.

In a photo-finish, Jamaica's Thompson won silver. The 23-year-old looked to have it in the bag with 20 metres remaining but tightened up with glory in sight and succumbed to Lyles' electric finish. Both were clocked at 9.79secs with Lyles prevailing by a razor-thin margin.

Lyles' US teammate Fred Kerley grabbed bronze in 9.81s, just one-hundredth ahead of South African Akani Simbine, who timed 9.82s in fourth.

Defending champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy produced a late surge of his own to claim fifth in 9.85s. Botswana's Letsile Tebogo was sixth in 9.86s, American Kenny Bednarek seventh in 9.88s and Jamaican Oblique Seville eighth in 9.91s in an enthralling race.

Lyles told the BBC: "You couldn't have asked for a bigger moment. A guy in biomechanics comes down and before I came out here, he said it was going to be this much, that's how close it is going to be and gosh was he right.

"I had to take every round as it was and I was a little upset after the first round so I came with the aggression and after I ran that 9.83 and I was done with the aggression. My sports therapist told me you need to let go, you're holding on. Let go and release it. I hope you guys like Noah because I got a lot more coming!"

Starting in lane seven, outside Seville and inside Tebogo, Lyles got off to a modest start but was soon into his stride. Head down through the 40-metre mark, the American opened up, but the whole field dragged him all the way in a tight but fast race.

As Lyles dipped for the line with Thompson charging alongside him, the crowd erupted and a photo-finish was called before Lyles was confirmed as champion.

There was a crackle in the air pre-race in a 69,000-capacity Stade de France, a laser show and booming music keeping the crowd entertained as the sprinters made the final adjustments to their starting blocks.

The lights were then shut off, the sprinters leaving the track to remake their entrance like prize fighters. Called out over the sound system, each sprinter was individually introduced behind an image of their name above their flag.

Thompson roared, hands clenched in fists as his head rolled back. Kerley patted his heart.

Lyles bounded out like a kangaroo, bouncing 20 metres down the track. Jacobs was the definition of cool, raising both arms and calmly walking to his blocks.

Then came the moment where the sprinters set, at the starter's mercy. The wait seemed overly long as the dramatic music played out inside the stadium.

The cameras panned around once more and then it was time, the only sound that of a helicopter's wings whirring overhead.

The shot was fired and the field moved as if one up the purple track.

The officials examined the evidence and Lyles walked away with gold to bury the demons of the Tokyo Games where he arrived with a big reputation but left with a mere 200m bronze.

He will now look to add more golds to his collection in the 200m and as part of a rapid 4x100m American relay team.