Olympic fans were left reeling by Noah Lyles’ dramatic victory in the 100m final after the American sprinter beat Jamaican Kishane Thompson by the narrowest of margins.
The 27-year-old won athletics’ flagship event in Paris tonight by just five thousandths of a second in what was one of the closest 100-meter showdowns of all time.
Lyles, who had to settle for second place in the semi-final race on Sunday, claimed his first Olympic gold in 9.79 seconds by beating Thompson.
It marks the best moment of the 27-year-old’s career, following a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
But spectators have taken to social media to express their confusion over how the winner was decided after the final went to a photo finish, leaving the sprinters with an agonising wait to see who had won.
Olympic fans were left baffled by Noah Lyles’ dramatic victory in the 100-meter final
The American sprinter beat Jamaican Kishane Thompson by the narrowest of margins
Thompson was bitterly disappointed after losing the final by five thousandths of a second.
Twitter user One X said: “Thompson got robbed. He punched Noah.”
Another posted: ‘It looked like Thompson had won…?’
Meanwhile, a third bewildered user added: “I don’t understand the rules but the Jamaican got there first.”
Another asked: “Is it necessary to go head first to win? Thompson’s foot is clearly above.”
One frustrated user posted: “Fuck these rules. Thompson won this one.”
In track races, the winner is the first person to cross the finish line on their chest, meaning the fact that Thompson’s foot crossed the line first had no influence on the outcome.