‘I wasn’t patient enough’ - Thompson reflects after winning 100m silver medal in nail-biting finish at Olympic Games

PARIS, France:

In the closest race of his young career, Kishane Thompson was thousandths of a second away from ending Jamaica's eight-year men's 100 metres Olympic Games gold-medal drought.

Thompson finished second in yesterday's Olympic 100m final at the Stade de France, clocking 9.79 seconds.

He was edged out in a photo finish by reigning World champion, the United States' Noah Lyles, who was also clocked at 9.79 and a thousandth of a second faster.

Lyles' American teammate Fred Kerley was third in 9.81 seconds.

The other Jamaican in the final, Oblique Seville, was eighth in 9.91 seconds, with all competitors clocking sub-10 times.

Thompson was in good form going into the final, clocking 9.80 in his semi-final. However, he said that missing out on the ultimate prize was a matter of impatience.

"I wasn't patient enough with my speed and with myself so I could let my speed bring me at the line in the position that I know I could have. But I have learned from it," Thompson said.

Before yesterday, Jamaica's men had not won an Olympic medal in the 100m event since 2016 when Usain Bolt claimed gold in 9.81 seconds over American Justin Gatlin (9.89) and Canadian Andre De Grasse (9.91). Also, no Jamaican male had won a major global medal of any kind since the 2017 World Championships when Bolt won bronze in 9.95 seconds. Gatlin won in 9.92 ahead of countryman Christian Coleman (9.94).

Despite being edged to the line, Thompson was reflective on how far he has come, given his injury woes of the past.

"I am feeling super grateful. I know that my body language doesn't show but I am super grateful. I know that Jamaica would have wanted me to get the gold. Everybody loves a winner. I would have loved to win today (yesterday)," Thompson said.

Lyles, who captured America's first Olympic title since 2004, acknowledged the significance of his victory.

"It was a crazy moment because I thought that Kishane had that and I was like, I really am going to have to swallow my pride, which I don't have a problem doing. Respect is respect," Lyles said. "Everybody in the field came out knowing that they can win this race. When I saw my name it was like I didn't do this against a slow crowd, I did this against the best of the best."

Earlier in the morning, Jamaica had its third consecutive withdrawal as Shericka Jackson did not face the starter for the women's 200m. Jackson's fitness was in question leading up to the Games and she had already opted out of the 100m. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also withdrawn from the women's 100m semi-finals.

In the women's 200m first round, Lanae-Tava Thomas (22.70) and Niesha Burgher (22.54) progressed to this afternoon's semi-finals with second-place finishes in their respective heats. Gabby Thomas (22.20) was the fastest in first-round action.

Meanwhile, World Championships silver medallist Wayne Pinnock (7.96m) and World Indoor Championship bronze medallist Carey McLeod (7.90m) advanced to the final of the men's long jump. Greece's Miltiadis Tentoglou led all qualifiers with 8.32m.

Reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment placed fourth in his heat and had to endure a nervous wait, but still advanced to the semi-finals of the men's 110m hurdles as a non-automatic qualifier with a 13.43-second clocking. Fellow Jamaicans Orlando Bennett (13.35) and Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell (13.42) advanced automatically with second-place finishes in their respective heats. American Grant Holloway registered the fastest time in qualifying, 13.01 seconds.

In the women's 400m hurdles, national champion Rushell Clayton (54.32), Shian Salmon (53.95) and Janieve Russell (54.67) secured passage to the semi-finals with automatic qualifying performances. The Netherlands' Femke Bol led all qualifiers with 53.38. Race favourite American Sydney McLeughlin-Levrone and countrywoman Jasmine Jones both clocked 53.60.