In a dramatic and historic 100m final at the Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles clinched the gold medal by a margin of just 0.005 seconds.
Despite his rivals’ feet crossing the line first, Lyles leaned his chest over the finish line first, securing his victory with a time of 9.79 seconds.
This win brought to light the rule in athletics that the torso, not the feet, determines the winner.
The race was extraordinary, marking the fastest 100m final ever, with all eight competitors running under 10 seconds.
Lyles edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who also finished in 9.79 seconds, and his compatriot Fred Kerley, who took bronze just 0.02 seconds behind the Olympic champion.
The finish sparked widespread attention on social media, with images and videos going viral. Many fans were initially confused as to why Lyles won, given that Thompson and Kerley appeared to cross the line first with their feet.
This race was historic not just for the speed but also for the depth of talent, with world records being set for fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth-place times.
Even the last-place finisher, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, was just 0.12 seconds behind Lyles, highlighting the exceptionally high quality of this Olympic final.
