'It Is Me Against Myself' – Kishane Thompson Reflects On Rivalry With Noah Lyles After Diamond League Victory

The Jamaican sprinter was full of respect for Noah Lyles after beating him in Silesia, stressing execution, growth, and rivalry lessons.

Kishane Thompson has revealed that even in defeating Olympic champion Noah Lyles in the eagerly awaited 100m final at Silesia Diamond League yesterday, he has a great respect for his American counterpart.

The Jamaican sprinter showed a dominating display, bursting out of the blocks to record 9.87 seconds, a fraction ahead of Lyles, who clocked 9.90 — his season's best — as Kenny Bednarek finished third.

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Their duel was hyped as the season's most exciting sprint duel, recalling last season's Paris Olympic final, when Lyles beat Thompson by five-thousandths of a second. This time, however, Thompson turned the tables with a sincere gun-to-tape performance in hot weather and humidity.

"Today, my race wasn't so bad, not so good. I enjoyed racing against Noah today. It is all about the execution: I had problems with that, but I am learning it. The key is to learn the momentum in the race and to maintain it until the finish," Thompson explained.

The Jamaican admitted he continues to refine his trade but claimed his sparring with Lyles puts him in the lead.

"Everybody is not perfect, but I'm trying to get better at what I'm good at and better at what I'm not so good at. Paris last year was a learning factor. I learned it is me against myself. No disrespect to my opponents, but anything is possible when you perform well," he clarified.

Respect in Rivalry

Lyles, taken in lane seven outside Bednarek and inside Christian Coleman, was again obstructed by his characteristically slow start.

Thompson's scorching opening from lane five, however, put the race beyond Lyles' reach.

Despite that, however, Thompson made clear there is no bad blood — just respect — between the two. For Thompson, Lyles' ability to run down people, even when he is a step behind from the start, is a test of determination.

Looking Ahead to Tokyo

With the World Championships in Tokyo now mere weeks away, the Jamaican sprinter insists he is not being arrogant.

The win yesterday was a statement of intent, but Thompson still asserts that the path is one of consistency and improvement. He acknowledged that incidents like Paris and Silesia are lessons that make him a stronger athlete and competitor.

While the Thompson-Lyles rivalry will keep the world on its toes, the phrases of Thompson touted a welcome philosophy: that in the midst of stiff competition, respect and self-improvement prevail.

And if yesterday's experience is anything to judge by, the Tokyo clash would be another chapter in a growing legacy of sprint wars.