That is Deji Ogeyingbo’s characteristic on Kishane Thompson, the Olympic silver medalist within the 100 meters, and the expectations of this younger Jamaican from his homeland.
Kishane Thompson, the Olympics, and the season all the things modified
The boys’s 100m is likely one of the most watched occasions on the Olympic Video games. Paris wasn’t totally different. All you do is run for lower than ten seconds, and you might be house and dry. It’s that straightforward, and but it isn’t. Within the French capital, eight males lined up for one probability for glory, and it will definitely went to Noah Lyles.
All kinds of information had been damaged over the gap in Paris. I simply needed to let you recognize that I gained’t bore you with all of that for now. In any case, the numbers for the non-purists weren’t a lot of a fantastic deal. It was primarily in regards to the conversations on how Usain Bolt made the occasion look so easy in comparison with how they needed to wait just a few seconds earlier than they decided who the winner was between Lyles and the brand new child on the block, Kishane Thompson.
Thompson was meant to develop into the following world star of the game after Usain Bolt. The Jamaican had undoubtedly been the bookies’ favourite for the win heading into the 100m. His world was about to alter. Take down the Loquacious Lyles, and the world can be his. There may be normally discuss how an Olympian takes 4 years to coach to run for 10 seconds. Destinies and massive sponsorship contracts all rely upon the way you execute these moments.
And to be truthful to Thompson, he was nicely primed to take the Gold. He had taken down all of the runners that acquired to the ultimate earlier than Paris, besides the Individuals. Letsile Tebogo, Akani Simbine, and even his countryman, Indirect Seville, had didn’t win a race towards him. His confidence was by way of the roof at that time. The snag, although, was he was but to face both of the Individuals, particularly when the stakes had been excessive.
It’s the outdated cliché, but it surely’s true: time and work matter. Lyles and Fred Kerley have been doing it on the high stage for a very long time; there’s a synchronicity and chemistry to what they do, which multiplies how they’ll handle their nerves and execute their races flawlessly. It sounds easy, however if you break down the race and the way Lyles had one of the best execution, you notice the dearth of expertise performed an element in Thompson’s probability of taking Gold in Paris.
The brand new Olympic silver medalist expressed no regrets after competing in one of many quickest 100m finals in Olympic historical past in entrance of a vibrant crowd at Stade de France in Paris 2024. Reflecting on the race, he acknowledged, “I wouldn’t do something over. I don’t see it as one thing to redo. I made a mistake, and I’ve to simply accept it and transfer on. There’s no going again.”
The scenario Thompson finds himself in stark contrasts with the place Lyles is at the moment positioned. Thompson, competing in his first Olympics and vital championship, should expertise racing in entrance of over 70,000 spectators. Whereas being educated by Stephen Francis, one of the vital completed dash coaches of this technology, mitigates a number of the challenges, Thompson’s age and inexperience are vital elements. Furthermore, lots of his talents nonetheless have to match as much as Lyles, highlighting the disparity between the 2 athletes.
The query is how Thompson goes to take this loss going ahead. He has persistently proven that he’s a 9.7s runner on his good day. No person goes to take that away from him. Amongst all of the athletes on the grid, maybe solely Lyles can run these occasions persistently. Some may even throw Kerley into that blend. One factor is bound, although, this expertise will do him a world of excellent.
Thompson’s problem is just about distinctive — much more so than the hurdles confronted by earlier Jamaican sprinters like Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. These athletes have set a excessive normal, and the expectations from the Caribbean nation are relentless. Whereas there could also be some leniency towards Thompson for now, something lower than gold sooner or later will probably be seen as a disappointment.
