The shortest 100-meter sprint ever at the Olympics.
The 100-meter sprint is the main event at the Olympic Games. No other competition garners as much global attention as the duel of the fastest men. And in Paris, the protagonists do not disappoint - quite the contrary.
The staging is dramatic. Suddenly, it becomes dark in the crackling Stade de France, suddenly only small, swaying lights on the spectator stands provide a little light. Then a laser and tech show breaks out. The DJ makes the giant stadium tremble. It's the last minutes before the start of the 100 meters. The fastest man in the world is being sought. The successor to Italian Olympic champion sensation Marcell Jacobs is being sought. The defending champion is there, but he has scraped his way into the final. He is not a candidate for gold, for another surprise. But who is the favorite?
Noah Lyles, the world champion? Of course. Andre De Grasse, the fastest man of the year? Definitely. Fred Kerley, the man who is arrow-fast over 100, 200, and 400 meters? Always. The list can be continued. But, small spoiler, the three mentioned win the medals. In the listed order. But what a drama this final is! Thompson and Kerley get off to a good start, Lyles not so much. Halfway through the race, he is clearly behind the medal contenders. Thompson is on a gold course, but then Lyles starts to fly. He runs past one after the other until he crosses the finish line simultaneously with Jamaican Thompson.
Who is it now? Nobody knows. Everyone stares at the scoreboard. Lyles suspects he might not be it. It takes 28 seconds for the result to come. "I went to Kishane and said: I want to be honest, brother, I think you've won. I was prepared for his name to appear, and when I saw my name, I thought: 'Wow, that's incredible. I'm incredible. That's exactly what I wanted, this tough fight against incredible opponents. I am the wolf among the wolves.' And perhaps the chosen one to become the new face of athletics. The role is vacant without Usain Bolt. Lyles has charm, courage, a penchant for quips, fast legs, a story that Americans love: poor, precarious circumstances, learning difficulties, a victim of bullying, depression, and becoming a hero. With four golds?
Primal scream, rubber ball, anger
Lyles is a showman, a loudmouth, a highly sensitive soul. He makes no secret of his feelings, of his struggle with depression. Even before the final, he talks to his therapist on the phone. "She said: You have to let go, you have to let it flow. And I said: Okay, I'll trust you."
The tension before the start is immense. For example, American Kenneth Bednarek runs too fast out of the tunnel during the presentation. He is called back. He doesn't like that. With an annoyed look, he finally comes out again. It's a big production, the protagonists use the stage for themselves. Sometimes it seems more important to make a show than to win a medal. Thompson lets out a thunderous primal scream, Lyles sprints like a lion, runs almost half the track, jumps wildly. As cool as the men want to be, they are incredibly nervous. They are in the spotlight of the world public, racehorses that just want to be let loose. But it's not that simple. The preparation is long, very long. Lyles expresses his displeasure with gestures, the colleagues are also not happy about the long waiting time.
The Shot, Then the Sprint, Then the Drama. In the end, there are two 9.79 seconds, an incredible time. But there can only be one gold. Five hundredths of a second made the difference. In Olympic history, there has never been a closer finish. After 20 years, the sprint nation, USA, is back on top, where it wants to stay forever. But it hasn't been easy, with Jamaica and Bolt dominating. Now, Lyles has delivered. He delivered on his promise, streaming from a boat on the Seine during the opening ceremony, greeting the world as "the fastest man alive." He put pressure on himself and wants more. He's 100% confident he'll win gold in the 200 meters. "When I come out of the curve, they'll be depressed," he said. At one point, the bronze medalist, Fred Kerley, joked, "Are you talking shit, man?"
The Drama of Tokyo Changed Him
Probably not. Even before his triple gold at the 2021 World Championships, he announced the start of a new dynasty. His journey to that victory was a classic American hero's tale, overcoming adversity. The past two years (and some months) have been a lot for him: the pandemic, the Olympics' postponement, and the Black Lives Matter movement. It was too much, pushing him to his limits. The sensitive sprinter struggled more with himself than his competitors.
By summer 2024, Lyles wants everyone to forget about Tokyo. He's made peace with the Games. In 2019, the ghostly COVID atmosphere affected him. He needs the stage, the noise, the push. He only won bronze in his signature 200 meters event. "That's not enough," he vowed. Depression returned, but he focused more, worked harder, always seeking new ways to improve.
Now, his remarkable resurrection. He's a Netflix series star, a brand ambassador. Rapper Snoop Dogg watched his Olympic final. "The more eyes on me, the better I perform," said the 27-year-old. And he proved it.
In the heart of Paris, the city of love, the athletes prepare for their races with heightened anticipation. The Stade de France echoes with the cheers of spectators as they eagerly wait for the 100-meter sprint, the main event that has the world on its edge.
Overcoming personal challenges, Noah Lyles approaches the finish line in Paris, determined to leave his indelible mark on athletics, following in the footsteps of the legendary Usain Bolt.
