A new champion has been crowned in the men’s 100-metre with American Noah Lyles earning the victory in a dramatic photo finish at the Stade de France in Saint-Dénis, outside of Paris.
Lyles won in a time of 9.79, barely edging out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five one thousands of a second. It took a 30-second review before the American was ruled to have won, the sprinters all staring up at the video board to find out the result.
Fellow U.S. sprinter Fred Kerley took bronze in a time of 9.81.
Thompson posted the best time in the semifinals, 9.80 seconds.
Canadian Andre De Grasse was eliminated in the semifinals. The 29-year-old was fifth in his heat and 12th overall in a season-best 9.98 seconds, with only the top two in each heat and the next two best times advancing to the final later Sunday. He was .05 seconds back of the eighth spot.
The native of Markham, Ont., barely qualified for the semis, taking the third and final spot in his opening heat at 10.07 seconds.
De Grasse’s best time this year (10.00 seconds) was just tied for 33rd in the world entering Paris, so he was not considered a strong medal contender in this event.
