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Kishane Thompson narrowly lost to Akani Simbine in his first outdoor 100m race of the season in Shanghai, China last weekend, making it only his fourth ever Diamond League race.
After narrowly missing out on victory in his first outdoor race of the 2025 season, Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson has shed light on his minimal racing schedule, attributing it to both injury struggles and his naturally reserved personality.
Thompson ran a season’s best 9.99 seconds in Shanghai to finish second behind South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who clocked 9.98.
Though just edged at the line, it was a promising return for the Olympic silver medalist, who has built a reputation as one of the most elusive sprinters in the game — not just in personality, but in actual race appearances.
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Speaking to The Inside Lane, Thompson candidly opened up about why he’s so rarely seen on the circuit.
“To be honest, I didn’t really do anything special. I just ran the race in my head a hundred million times,” he said, referencing his long layoff after claiming silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I’m not really an outgoing guy. I’m very reserved, cool. Even doing this interview — I never really saw myself doing something like this,” he added.
“Right now, I’m just going with the flow. I usually run from things like this all the time… but I’m trying. So, this is me trying.”
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Michael Johnson: Kishane is a Mystery Man
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The 23-year-old’s reluctance to engage with the spotlight has drawn commentary from legends of the sport, including four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson. Speaking during the second season of Sprint, a Netflix docuseries chronicling the lives of elite sprinters, Johnson described Thompson as a mystery figure.
“People are saying he has come out of nowhere. He has not come out of nowhere. He has run fast times before but he just runs very sparingly," Johnson said.
“This year, he is being introduced to the world, but Kishane is the mystery man. He is not out there much. I haven’t met him and I do not know anyone who has.”
Paul Francis: Kishane is Not Elusive
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Thompson’s coach Paul Francis, however, was quick to push back against that narrative, instead attributing Thompson’s sporadic racing to health setbacks.
“Kishane has been with us for four years. He has had a plethora of injuries which he needed rehab and strengthening to become competitive,” Francis explained.
“He has worked fastidiously and I have watched him evolve into a special youngster.
“I would not say Kishane is elusive. I would say people who complain of things being elusive generally just do not look in the right direction. Kishane is over six feet tall and is an imposing fellow. He is very, very easy to find.”
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Despite making the Olympic final in Paris and pushing Noah Lyles all the way to the line, Thompson has competed sparingly. In 2024, he only ran seven races — six of which came at Jamaica’s Olympic Trials and the Games themselves.
Even in 2025, he withdrew from the World Indoor Championships in China due to resurfacing shin issues.
Still, his performance in Shanghai — his fourth-ever Diamond League appearance — suggests that when healthy, Thompson is among the fastest men on the planet.
Whether fans see more of him before the World Championships remains to be seen, but for now, Thompson appears content letting his feet do the talking.
“I’m just going with the flow,” he repeated. “This is me trying.”
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