SAINT-DENIS, France — The world’s fastest man will be determined tonight at Stade de France, as American sprinters Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and Fred Kerley aim to end the 20-year Olympic gold medal drought for the United States in the men’s 100-meter race.
The American athletes are set to face strong competition, including Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who holds the fastest time in the world this year, and Italy’s defending Olympic champion, Marcell Jacobs.
On Saturday, American sprinters Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson secured silver and bronze medals in the women’s 100, raising anticipation for the men’s race tonight. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates and highlights.
Weather conditions are favorable for the men’s final, with no rain predicted. It’s expected to be slightly cloudy and around 71 degrees when the race begins, unlike the rainy conditions faced by the women’s competitors.
All three American sprinters successfully advanced to the finals, with Lyles and Kerley both finishing second in their heats, while Bednarek qualified based on his time. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville enter the final with top times of 9.80 and 9.81, respectively, while Lyles holds the third-fastest time at 9.83.
Kishane Thompson demonstrated his readiness by winning his semifinal in 9.80. Fred Kerley finished second in that heat with a time of 9.84.
Noah Lyles, having placed second in his semifinal heat with a time of 9.83, will need to refine his strategy for the finals. Despite a tough start where he lost to Great Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe, Lyles successfully advanced.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 400-meter event, Quincy Hall, Michael Norman, and Christopher Bailey all advanced to the semifinals. Bailey finished second in the first heat, while Norman won his heat with a time of 44.10, and Hall took first place in his heat at 44.28.
The semifinal for the 100 meters is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET, with Lyles competing in the first heat, and the final will kick off at 3:50 p.m. ET.
Top contenders for the men’s 100 include Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who has a world-leading time of 9.77 this year, as well as his teammate Oblique Seville and American sprinters Bednarek and Kerley, both of whom clocked in at 9.97 to progress to the semis. Jacobs, the defending Olympic champion, remains a significant contender.
The current world record in the 100 meters stands at 9.58, set by Usain Bolt in 2009, while the Olympic record is 9.63, also held by Bolt during the 2012 London Games.
The last American male to win gold in the men’s 100 at the Olympics was Justin Gatlin in 2004 in Athens. Since then, the best performances by Team USA have been silver medals won by Gatlin in 2016 and Fred Kerley in 2020.
Stay connected with USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon for updates.