PARIS, France — In an electrifying final at the Stade de France, Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson clinched a historic silver medal in the men’s 100m at the Paris Olympics. Thompson crossed the finish line in a remarkable 9.79 seconds, matching the time of the gold medalist, Noah Lyles of the USA. The result was determined by a thousandth of a second, favoring Lyles.
This extraordinary achievement marks Thompson’s first major medal and is the first medal for a Jamaican man in a global championship since Usain Bolt’s bronze at the 2017 World Championships. The 23-year-old showed poise and determination in only his eighth race of the season and the second major final of his career.
Thompson’s medal adds to Jamaica’s growing tally at the Paris Olympics. The nation’s athletes delivered impressive performances over the weekend, with Shaneika Ricketts earning a silver in triple jump and Rajindra Campbell securing a bronze in shot put.
The anticipation at the start line was palpable, with athletes held longer than usual before the race began. Once the gun went off, Thompson maintained impressive speed but was narrowly edged out by Lyles, who now holds both the Olympic and World Championship titles after his victory in Budapest last year.
Oblique Seville, another Jamaican hopeful who had shown promise in the semi-finals, finished eighth with a time of 9.91 seconds. Meanwhile, former World Athletics champion Fred Kerley from the USA claimed the bronze, clocking a season’s best of 9.81 seconds.
Thompson’s performance underscores Jamaica’s continued prowess in sprinting, building on a storied legacy left by legends like Usain Bolt.
