In one of the greatest 100m final in Olympic history, American sprinter Noah Lyles produced his lifetime best performance against Jamaican rival Kishane Thompson to win his first Olympic men’s 100m title by five-thousandths of a second in a dramatic photo finish at Paris 2024.

The reigning world champion saved his best for the Paris 2024 final, having lost his heat and semifinal races. However he overhauled his rivals in the second half of the race to triumph by the finest of margins in a new personal best of 9.79s to become the first American to win the Olympic men’s 100m title since Justin Gatlin in 2004.

Thompson, who was a top favourite for the win, having arrived in Paris with the fastest time in the world of 9.77s, settled for the silver medal in an identical time of 9.79s, while Lyle’s American compatriot Fred Kerley claimed the bronze medal in 9.81s.

After a lengthy wait behind the start line to a backdrop of dramatic music in a frenzied atmosphere at Stade de France, all eight finalists finished within 0.12 seconds of Lyles in a remarkable race.

South Africa’s Akani Simbine agonizingly missed the podium in finishing fourth in a new national necord of 9.82s, as defending champion Marcell Jacobs was fifth in a season’s best 9.85s ahead of Letsile Tebogo who ran a Botswanian national record 9.86s.

Oblique Seville, the other Jamaican in the race ended 9^th in 9.91 seconds having suffered a cramp.