Fasten your seatbelts because we’re going to witness a blockbuster clash later this month. That’s because Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and American sprinter Noah Lyles will be up against each other in the men’s 100-meter sprint at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Silesia, Poland. What makes this encounter so special is the fact that this will be the first meeting of these two sprinters since their historic photo finish at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Which makes you think, who’s the favorite this time around?
Just over a year ago, Lyles clinched the gold medal in what can only be explained as a race of a lifetime, defeating Thompson by a mere five-thousandths of a second. The race was such a close affair that the naked eye couldn’t tell the difference between the first and second place. However, since then, Kishane Thompson, who had to settle for a silver, has emerged as the world leader in 2025. You don’t have to take our word for it; his stunning 9.75-second finish at the Jamaican National Championships should be enough to give you an idea.
This blistering run not only makes him the fastest man this season, but also places him sixth on the all-time men’s 100m list. On the other hand, Lyles has been plagued with injuries this season. However, he’s making a strong comeback. The American superstar heads to Poland fresh off winning the 200m national title at the American trials on Sunday. But, he’s yet to prove himself in the 100m dash this season, as he currently is placed 34th with a best of 10.00 seconds.
Noah Lyles to CLASH with Kishane Thompson over 100m on August 16 at the Silesia Diamond League!
Both athletes were announced for the Silesia DL in what will be their first duel since the Paris Olympic Games. pic.twitter.com/tSDN77qDRL
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) August 4, 2025
That explains why, upon hearing about the re-match from the 2024 Paris Olympics finals, fans favored the Jamaican runner over Lyles. Track and field fans from all over the world picked Kishane Thompson to win this race on August 16th in Silesia, Poland. “Kishane will smoke him.” This is what one supporter thinks will be the result of this race. The fan predicted that this season’s fastest runner will not only win the race later this month, but it won’t even be close. However, he wasn’t alone as several fans shared a similar opinion.
Fans favor Kishane Thompson over Noah Lyles ahead of DL showdown.
Everyone, including us, is pumped up to see both Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson go up against each other at the Silesia Stadium in Poland. We mean, why shouldn’t we be excited? After all, Kishane Thompson is in electrifying form after announcing himself earlier this season with a spectacular 9.75-second finish in Kingston. Meanwhile, Lyles, who, even though he began his campaign in the Diamond League with a shock defeat against Jamaica’s Oblique Seville in London last month, is slowly coming back in form.
However, despite Lyles trying hard to make a comeback, the fans don’t believe the American sprinter is back to his full potential, just yet. That’s why a fan wrote, “My guy Noah still needs more races. Kishane is winning this race, but come Worlds, it’s anyone’s race.” The supporter explained that due to a lack of races this season, there’s no chance that Noah Lyles could beat Thompson on 16th August. However, he did give the Olympic champ the benefit of the doubt by saying it could be anyone’s race in the World Championships to be held in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, another fan claimed that Thompson is going to leave Lyles in the dust. “Kishane is going to do Noah so dirty. 9.72 just for the love of the game. Just need Noah to at least be 9.8 low to be in shape to try medal at worlds.” He wrote. The fan stated that it will be an easy dub for Kishane, but also stated that Lyles will have to clock under 10 seconds to have any shot at a podium finish at the World Championship. At the same time, another fan commented, “Kishane 9.6,” suggesting that the Jamaican will smash his season best in Poland.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s 100m Final – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 04, 2024. Noah Lyles of the United States and Kishane Thompson of Jamaica look to the screen for the final score decision. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
However, that wasn’t it, as more reactions poured in following this huge announcement. But not all had their money on Kishane Thompson; a few also shared a more neutral opinion about this showdown. “If Kishane wins, Noah has motivation for Tokyo, and it builds Kishane’s confidence for the Gold Medal. If Noah wins, he beats out another favourite despite racing less than the majority of the runners this season due to injuries. This is going to be a fun race to watch.” A fan said.
The fan stated what the race in the Diamond League would mean for both athletes. He suggested that if Thompson clinches first place, Lyles will have a point to prove in Tokyo. Meanwhile, if Lyles won, he’d shut down his critics. Either way, it’s going to be a great watch for the fans as everyone eagerly awaits August 16th.
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