Source: DeFodi Images / Getty
The USA tends to dominate in basketball, gymnastics, and swimming but often fails to reach the highest point on the podium regarding track.
But that changed this year, with
Noah Lyles being crowned the fastest man in the world after winning gold in the men’s 100-meter race.
As usual, America’s biggest competition came from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who previously held the title of the fastest man in the world.
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But it didn’t come with a considerable lead; instead, several runners crossed the line nearly simultaneously, and the only thing that edged Lyles out was his decision to lean forward as the race concluded. As soon as the race ended, even he thought Thompson had beaten him.
“We were waiting for the names to pop up, and I’m going to be honest. I came over [to Thompson] and was like: ‘I think you got that one, big dawg!’ Something said I need to lean, and I was like, ‘I’m going to lean,’ because it’s that type of race,” Lyles said in his postrace news conference. “And then my name came up, and I was like, ‘Oh shoot, I am incredible.’”
That lean helped him win by just .005 of a second with a finished time of 9.784 seconds. Even the commentators first yelled Thompson’s name before the experts released the photo-finishing win.
Aerial footage even shows that Thompson and fellow American runner Fred Kerley’s shoes crossed the finish line before Lyles’, but the torso matters most.
The 27-year-old brought the 100M gold back to America for the first time since 2004 when Justin Gatlin held the honor. Lyles has a chance to win again when he competes in the first round of the men’s 200-meter race beginning Monday.
The reception of his winning was critical because of his previous comments about NBA players not being
“world champions” because they barely face international talent. But even Team USA member
Devin Booker had to salute him.
He told
The Athletic that he still doesn’t agree with those comments but that “It was crazy” and “it was great for America. Congrats to him.”
See how social media is reacting to Lyles’ win below.
