What was Noah Lyles' top speed during 100m gold medal run at Paris Olympics 2024? Comparing American's pace with Usain Bolt's WR time

By Agnijeeta Majumder

Modified Aug 06, 2024 18:23 GMT

Noah Lyles, the reigning 100-meter world champion, won the 100-meter finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the most dramatic fashion. He hit a top speed of 43.5 kilometers per hour (27.84 mph) midway through the race. The other sprinters in the line-up also hit a top speed of 27 mph but trailed Lyles in average speed.

Lyles, the third-fastest 200m runner ever, faced a surprising defeat by Andre De Grasse and Kenny Bednarek at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, settling for bronze. Cut to 2023, Lyles achieved a historic 'three-peat' at the World Championships, winning the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. His 100m victory also saw him set a personal best of 9.83s.

At the Paris Olympics 100m finals, Lyles bested his previous personal best time by winning in 9.79s. Although his reaction time was one of the slowest, he reached a top speed of 27.84 mph in the second half. All of his rivals also clocked a top speed of over 27 mph but the 27-year-old's average speed of 25.73 mph earned him the win.

Kishane Thompson, the Jamaican runner, claimed the silver medal, clocking the same time as Lyles. Thompson's average speed was 25.62 mph, with a top speed of 27.51 mph. Among the eight sprinters, only Letsile Tebogo surpassed Lyles' top speed, reaching 27.92 mph. However, Tebogo's average speed of 25.46 mph placed him sixth overall.

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Here's a list of the 100m athletes and their top speeds

Noah Lyles - 27.84 mph

Kishane Thompson - 27.51 mph

Fred Kerley - 27.77 mph

Akani Simbine - 27.30 mph

Lamont Marcell Jacobs: 27.41 mph

Letsile Tebogo: 27.92 mph

Kenneth Bednarek, 27.28 mph

Oblique Seville: 27.33 mph

The world saw the smallest-ever difference between first and eighth place at this Olympics.

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Noah Lyles' top speed comparison with Usain Bolt

At the 2009 World Championships, Usain Bolt stunned the crowd with his stellar 100-meter run, which not only earned him the world title but also broke the world record in 9.58 seconds, a time still untouched. In that race, Bolt hit a top speed of 27.9 mph, which Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo achieved in Paris.

On the other hand, the reigning world champion, Noah Lyles, hit a top speed of 27.84 mph, trailing Bolt by 0.06. According to the world record holder, the 100-record is 'safe for now'. (via AS)