"As soon as I finished the race, I saw the doping officers" - Kishane Thompson opens up on being questioned by officials at Jamaican Olympic Trials

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Jul 06, 2024 04:04 GMT

Kishane Thompson of Jamaica created a sensation even before he took off for the Paris Olympics 2024. The 22-year-old sprinter, who specializes in 100 m, is one of the top favorites for an Olympic gold medal, with a world-leading time of 9.77 seconds.

However, the journey was not a cakewalk for Thompson. In a recent interview, he opened up on how he was 'singled out' by the doping officials just after the heats at the Jamaican Olympic trials, where he clocked 9.82 seconds.

When asked about what took him so long with the doping officials just after the heats of the Jamaican Olympic trials, Kishane Thompson mentioned:

"As soon as I finished the race, I saw the doping officers...It was nearby and they said, 'Hey Kishane, I selected you for doping', and I said 'Excuse Me?' I didn't understand coz this is just the heats...." [via NationwideRadio]

Kishane Thompson further revealed why he was 'singled out':

"I asked them, '....How do you go about this? I thought it is just the finals, coz I understand it is about the finals. They said, "No, I randomly choose you in terms of what I saw....how effortlessly I ran that [9.82 seconds], I PBd, and I didn't compete this season, so you look suspicious I guess".

How Kishane Thompson outshone everyone at the Jamaican Olympic trials

Whatever may have been the reason, Kishane Thompson didn't let that affect his momentum. Despite battling several injuries since last year, Kishane Thompson clocked a world leading time of 9.77 seconds in the men's 100 m final at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

Thompson finished way ahead of Oblique Seville and World Championship medalist Ackeem Blake, who finished second and third with timings of 9.82 and 9.92 seconds, respectively.

However, if we go by the approach of Thompson's coach, Stephen Francis , who also coaches Shericka Jackson, this is only the beginning.

According to Stephen Francis, Kishane Thompson is capable of much more than what he showed at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

"Based on what I saw him do in the final, if he [Thompson] had maintained the speed he did between 40m and 60m, he would have run a 9.6 or a 9.70...Right now, for him and his future, what he needs to do is become an Olympic medallist first and then plan everything else."

Kishane Thompson is the fourth fastest Jamaican, only behind the likes of Jamaican legends like Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, and Asafa Powell. He has two main competitors in the form of Noah Lyles from the USA, and Lamont Marcell Jacobs, the Italian sprinter, who is also the defending Olympic champion in men's 100 m. Kishane Thompson is hopeful of an impressive performance at Paris 2024.