Support truly
independent journalism
Noah Lyles’ dramatic win in Paris on Sunday night provided another stunning chapter to the storied history of the Olympic men’s 100 metres final.
Here the PA news agency looks back at some of the race’s most memorable moments.
PARIS 2024
Noah Lyles grabbed gold in a dramatic photo finish in a time of 9.79 seconds in a race that made history as the first time all eight men have clocked under 10 seconds without the benefit of wind assistance. Lyles pipped Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five thousandths of a second, and even last-placed Oblique Seville finished in 9.91 seconds, which would have earned him fourth place in Tokyo.
BEIJING 2008
Despite opening his arms in celebration long before the line, Usain Bolt roared to the title in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium in a new world record time of 9.69 seconds. With his win the Jamaican, who celebrated with his now-trademark ‘Bolt’ celebration, brought a bright new era to a race too often blighted by drug controversies. Richard Thompson of Trinidad was a distant second, and Brian Dix of the US third.
BARCELONA 1992
“It’s Linford Christie!” roared BBC commentator David Coleman as the Great Britain star surged through in the final stages to become the first British winner of the race since Harold Abrahams in 1924. With the absence of two-time defending champion Carl Lewis who was stricken by a virus at the US Trials, Christie started as one of the favourites, and he won in a time of 9.96 seconds ahead of Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks.
SEOUL 1988
Ben Johnson blazed over the line in a new world record time of 9. 79 seconds in a race in which, for the first time, four of the eight finalists broke the 10-second barrier. But within three days of his triumph, Johnson tested positive for anabolic steroids and was stripped of his title, with second-placed Carl Lewis promoted to gold. The 1988 has subsequently come to be known as ‘The Dirtiest Race in History’.
MUNICH 1936
Under the eyes of Adolf Hitler, Jesse Owens reigned supreme in Berlin, and his win in the 100 metres, in a time of 10.3 seconds, proved to be his first of four gold medals at the Games. Owens had run 10.2 seconds in his quarter-final but was denied a new world record due to wind assistance. He raced away with the final over Dutchman Tinus Osendarp, for a win that was widely seen to crush Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy.
