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The four-time Olympic champion has explained what makes Noah Lyles a special sprinter after marginally winning the 100m gold under dramatic circumstances.
American sprint icon Michael Johnson has offered his expert analysis on what makes Noah Lyles a standout sprinter, following his gold medal victory in the 100m at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Lyles, known for his showmanship and exceptional finishing speed, won by the slimmest of margins, clocking a personal best of 9.79 seconds.
Lyles' victory was particularly dramatic, as he overhauled his rivals in the second half of the race. Jamaican debutant Kishane Thompson, who led for most of the race, also clocked 9.79 seconds, but Lyles' spectacular finish earned him the gold medal.
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Fred Kerley of the United States took bronze in 9.81 seconds, narrowly edging out South Africa's Akani Simbine. The race was incredibly close, with all eight finalists finishing within 0.12 seconds of Lyles.
Such was the standard of the final that Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala failed to reach, and Italy's reigning champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs was left out of the medals, while another rising Jamaican star, Oblique Seville, finished last with a time of 9.91 seconds.
Michael Johnson, himself a former Olympic champion, provided a detailed analysis of how Lyles managed to clinch the victory despite being level with Thompson at the finish line.
“He put it all together in this final. You know he has the sort of foot speed where once he gets into his running, his frequency is unmatched,” Johnson said during his analysis for the BBC.
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Johnson highlighted Thompson's inexperience as a factor in Lyles' victory. “Kishane Thompson tightened up at the end of that race and that is from a lack of championship experience. We said that we had not seen him before and that is the only thing that put a doubt in it.”
He also emphasized Lyles' strength in the 200m, which contributed to his success in the 100m. “Lyles is a great 200m runner. He has great speed endurance, he is able to hold it for a very long time. He just has to hope that he does not run out of track and he did it at this point,” Johnson noted.
While acknowledging that Lyles did not have the best start, Johnson praised his ability to recover and execute a strong finish.
“He got a very good start and sometimes it is not good. It was not as good as anybody else but it is better than he usually gets and that allowed him to get back into the race and allowed him to come with this victory.”
Johnson also took the time to commend Fred Kerley for securing the bronze medal, particularly after a challenging season. “Well done to Fred Kerley. Did not have a great season but it came at the right time. Got third at the trials and got third again at this tournament,” he said.
Additionally, Johnson recognized the efforts of Lamont Marcell Jacobs, the defending Olympic champion, who finished just outside the medals. “Marcell Jacobs, 9.85. People thought he would not make this final but he did and well done to him,” Johnson remarked.
Noah Lyles’ victory in Paris was a testament to his exceptional talent, preparation, and mental toughness, qualities that have firmly established him as one of the premier sprinters of his generation.
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