You’d think running 9.88 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in the world this year, would leave the entire track world in awe. Right? Not quite. Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson lit up the track at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, but some American legends aren’t exactly throwing a parade for him. Why? Because as good as it was, it happened in his comfort zone. And that’s where the conversation gets spicy.
Let’s back up. Just last summer in Paris, Thompson nearly snatched Olympic gold in what became one of the most thrilling 100m finals in history. He lost to Noah Lyles by a razor-thin 0.005 seconds. That kind of silver could define a career. But for the 23-year-old, it’s already in the rearview mirror. “It’s gone and passed. I can’t look back,” he said. And honestly? That mindset explains a lot about how he’s handled what came next, injury struggles, a few losses, and a stretch of silence that had people asking: Was the silver just beginner’s luck? But champions always find a way back.
And when Thompson showed up at the Racers Grand Prix, back on Jamaican soil at the National Stadium in Kingston, he was facing real heat, defending champ Oblique Seville and rising South African star Bayanda Walaza were in the blocks next to him. What did Kishane Thompson do? He exploded. Out the blocks like lightning, strong in the transition, and by the time he hit the last 30 meters, he had shaken Seville off. That 9.88 wasn’t just fast, it was loud. But not everyone’s convinced.
On the track podcast Ready Set Go, Rodney Green gave props but with a big asterisk. “Very, very, very good out the blocks… strong transition… but honestly, I don’t look too much into what Kishane does when he’s running in Jamaica,” he said. His point? Home turf is where Kishane Thompson is most comfortable. And great athletes need to shine when they’re uncomfortable. “If he had run 9.7 in Jamaica, I probably wouldn’t even be that impressed,” Green admitted, adding that he’s more interested in seeing those kinds of times abroad, under bigger pressure. And then came Justin Gatlin, who doubled down.
“I agree with you 100%… running fast at home gives you that extra boost, like plus 10 points.” Gatlin praised the time and even acknowledged that it silenced the doubters—the people questioning Thompson’s injuries, inactivity, and whether he was avoiding competition. “You don’t want to get to Nationals or World Championships and have to navigate tough rounds just to make the finals….He proved to everybody, ‘I’m walking my own path, doing what I’ve got to do, and when I pop up, I’m ready to go,’”” Gatlin said.
With the sprint scene getting deeper names like Akani Simbine, NCAA beast Jordan Anthony, and a new wave of fearless talent emerging, Gatlin believes the real test for Thompson isn’t a single fast race. It’s whether he can string them together and be clutch when it matters most. So while the 9.88 was a statement, the message from legends is clear: fast at home is great… but greatness travels. Now it’s Kishane Thompson’s move. The question hanging in the air: Are Akani and Anthony actually ahead of him right now?
With Simbine on fire and Anthony rising, Kishane Thompson can’t just shine at home
South Africa’s 31‑year‑old sprint icon is off to a scorching start this year. Well, Akani Simbine kicked off with a bronze in the 60 m at the World Indoors in Nanjing, clocking 6.53 s, the first global individual medal of his career. Then he ran a world-leading 9.90 s at the Botswana Grand Prix and became the first man in history to record 11 consecutive sub‑10s seasons—breaking Usain Bolt’s record.In Diamond League races, he’s been unstoppable: gold in Xiamen (9.99 s), Atlanta (9.86 s), and Rabat (9.95 s), his third DL win of 2025. Simbine’s consistency and experience make him a real threat, he’s run fast everywhere, not just at home.
Jordan Anthony, the rising American star, has already lit up the NCAA circuit. He won the SEC 60 m and NCAA Indoor 60 m titles with a best of 6.47 s then clocked 9.98 s at Mt. SAC Relays, his first sub‑10. At the SEC Championships, he doubled: 9.95 s for the 100 m and 19.93 s for the 200 m. Most recently, he stormed through the NCAA West region with a wind-aided 9.75 s—making him the second-fastest ever all‑conditions collegiate sprinter.
Both Simbine and Anthony are doing what legends demand: delivering real performances far from home. Simbine’s medals and sub‑10 streak are proof he thrives on big global stages, not just comfortable surroundings. Anthony’s domination across NCAA indoors and outdoors—down to a historic 9.75 s—shows he’s ready to challenge on the pro circuit. Together they show the American legends’ warnings: Kishane Thompson can’t just run one great race at home; he needs to win consistently under pressure across the globe.
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