Paris 2024: Fans Claim 100m Final Was ‘Rigged’ After Noah Lyles Wins Gold Ahead of Kishane Thompson
- Noah Lyles edged Kishane Thompson to bag gold in the men's 100-metre final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris
- The American sprinter won with a time of 9.79 seconds in a photo finish to clinch track and field’s marquee sprint event
- However, a section of fans on social media reckon that the 100m dash was 'rigged' in favour of the 27-year-old
Noah Lyles clinched the men's 100m Olympic title, narrowly defeating Jamaica's Kishane Thompson in a thrilling race on Sunday, August 4.
Lyles' victory came down to mere nanoseconds, with both sprinters clocking 9.79 seconds in one of the most electrifying finals in Olympic history.
Source: Getty Images
Noah Lyles edges Kishane Thompson in 100m final
Heading into the Olympics, Thompson was the fastest man in the world this year and showcased his prowess by qualifying for the final with the quickest time.
However, the American sprinter won the race by the slimmest margin, determined only after an anxious wait for the photo finish results, per USA Today.
According to the BBC, replays revealed that the 27-year-old managed to dip his head across the line just in time to secure the gold medal.
Meanwhile, Lyles' American compatriot Fred Kerley secured the bronze with a time of 9.91 seconds, adding to the silver medal he earned in Tokyo three years ago.
The defending champion, Marcel Jacobs from Italy, finished fifth, just behind South Africa's Akani Simbine.
Fans claim 100m final was rigged in favour of Lyles
The tight finish and the subsequent wait for the result sparked controversy among fans, with some alleging the race was rigged in favour of the American.
YEN.com.gh compiled some reactions from netizens on X (formerly called Twitter):
@NormanWallace claimed:
"Was rigged. What was the long wait for!?"
@Shevy_Whevy added:
"This is robbery! He didn’t win! Jamaica won that gold 🇯🇲. This race needs to be reviewed!"
Another user, @ArunChelsea18, said:
"In real-time, it looked like the Jamaican won."
@lorrenzom joined the bandwagon:
"Thompson was robbed."
@BEXX007 concluded:
"Thompson got Robbed . . . There’s NO way Lyles won that one !!"
Despite the murmurs, Lyles' head dip at the line stands as a textbook example of the technical precision needed to win at the highest level of athletics.
Julien Alfred beats Sha'Carri to win women's 100m final
YEN.com.gh also reported that Julien Alfred triumphed over Sha'Carri Richardson to secure the gold medal in the women's 100m.
The Saint Lucia sprinter considered an underdog, shocked many by clinching the victory with an impressive time of 10.72 seconds.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
