The blue-riband sprint promises to be an electrifying event, with Jamaicans aiming to reclaim the Olympic title last held by Usain Bolt, who won his third consecutive 100m gold at the 2016 Rio Games. Italy’s Marcel Jacobs claimed the title at Tokyo 2020, but American Noah Lyles, the 2023 World Champion, is determined to become the first American since Justin Gatlin in 2004 to win the Olympic 100m title.
Lyles, who ran a lifetime best of 9.81 seconds at the London Diamond League meet, exudes confidence heading into Paris. “I beat everyone that I touch. I don’t see why the Jamaicans are any different. This is what I pray for, this is what I live for and I back myself up, don’t I?” Lyles stated.
However, Francis believes that Lyles’s psychological tactics will have little impact on Thompson. “I don't think Noah Lyles can play mind games this time," Francis remarked in response to a question from Sportsmax’s Donald Oliver. “I think you will find he plays mind games with those he is faster than. I don't think he will have the opportunity this time around, but we will see if his mind games work on people who have demonstrated they are a lot faster than he is.”
Lyles faces a formidable challenge from the Jamaican duo of Thompson and Oblique Seville. With Thompson’s blistering 9.77 and Seville’s own impressive performances, the stage is set for a thrilling contest.
Thompson, who ran a personal best and world leading 9.77 to claim his maiden National 100m title on June 28, got his usual brilliant start to find himself comfortably ahead of the field at the halfway point of the race on Tuesday.
When he got to about 70m, Thompson eased up and looked left and right before crossing the line in an impressive 9.91.
2023 World Championship silver medallist Letsile Tebogo ran a season’s best 9.99 in second while South Africa’s Akani Simbine ran 10.01 in third.
In the Women’s equivalent, runner-up at the Jamaican National Championships, Tia Clayton, ran 11.06 to finish second behind American Tamari Davis who ran 11.00. Krystal Sloley ran 11.15 for third.
Thompson, who has been holding good form since his first sub-10 second clocking at Jamaica’s National Championships in July, produced a top performance, which not only shattered his previous personal best of 9.91s, but also makes him the fastest Jamaican this year. He overtook Oblique Seville at 9.86s.
Additionally, the 22-year-old Thompson’s time also makes him the sixth-fastest Jamaican of all time. Only Usain Bolt (9.58s), Yohan Blake (9.69s), Asafa Powell (9.72s), Nesta Carter (9.78s) and Steve Mullings (9.80s), have gone faster.
While Thompson’s achievement, which makes him the 22nd fastest man of all time and also earned him a spot in the Diamond League final, may come as a surprise to many, his coach Stephen Francis did indicate that there was more to come after his one-round run at the national championships.
“He would have run significantly faster but the most important thing is that he feels healthy and can look forward to the rest of the summer. Our plan is to ensure that next year, in the Olympic year, he will have the necessary race experience and a different attitude to tackle the full program,” Francis said then in an interview with Sportsmax.tv.
Thompson just failed to get back to Coleman, who equalled Noah Lyles World leading time, as they competed in a slight tailwind of 0.4 metres per second. American Fred Kerley (9.96s) was third.
Meanwhile, the other Jamaicans, Yohan Blake (10.04s), Rohan Watson (10.18s), were sixth and ninth respectively, while Ackeem Blake, who seemingly picked up an injury finished at the back of the pack in well over 25 seconds.
The Stephen Francis-coached sprinter produced a personal best 9.82, the joint, second fastest time in the world this year, to win the second heat. Ackeem Blake also went below 10 seconds for the first time this season with 9.95 to finish second behind Thompson in that heat and advance.
Sandrey Davison (10.00) and Sachin Dennis (10.04) both also made it through to Friday’s semi-finals from heat two after producing new personal bests while Nigel Ellis was the fifth semi-finalist from that heat with a time of 10.13.
Oblique Seville, who produced fourth place finishes at both the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, looked super comfortable on his way to 9.98 to win heat one ahead of Bryan Levell (10.07) and Jehlani Gordon (10.09). Levell’s time is a new personal best.
Julian Forte produced a confident 10.00 to win the third heat ahead of defending National champion Rohan Watson (10.07) and Tyquendo Tracey (10.09). Jazeel Murphy produced a personal best 10.11 to also make it through from that heat alongside Travis Williams whose 10.13 was also enough to make it through.
2023 World Championship finalist Ryiem Forde won the fourth and final heat in 10.02 ahead of Kadrian Goldson (10.12) and Jelani Walker (10.21).
The semi-finals and final are scheduled for Friday.
Similar to 2024, Kishane Thompson’s first race of the season has already sent track and field fans into a frenzy.
The reigning Olympic 100m silver medallist opened his 2025 season in the F final of the men’s 60m at the Central Hurdles, Relays & Field Events Meet at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine on Saturday.
Thompson, the newcomer, easily won his heat in 9.80s, 0.01 faster than his compatriot Oblique Seville who cruised to a personal best 9.81 to win his heat while looking across at the brash American Noah Lyles who ran 9.983.
The USA’s Fred Kerley was second in Thompson’s heat in 9.84, a season’s best.
Also through to the final are South Africa’s Akani Simbini (9.86), Letsile Tebogo (9.91), and reigning Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs, who ran a season’s best 9.92. The USA’s Kenny Bednarek is also through to the final in 9.92.
