Noah Lyles Reveals Strategy to Stun Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville and Co in the Tokyo World Championship 100m Final

Noah Lyles has outlined how he intends to dominate the men’s 100m final at the ongoing Tokyo World Championships, after cruising through his opening heat in effortless style.

The American sprint star eased through Heat 3 on Saturday, clocking 9.95 seconds with a smooth stride pattern and a relaxed finish that suggested he has plenty left in the tank for Sunday’s semifinals and the much-anticipated final.

The heats had already produced fireworks earlier in the session. South Africa’s Gift Leotlela shocked the field with a blistering personal best of 9.87 seconds in Heat 1, the fastest time of the round. 

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Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi followed in 9.88, also a lifetime best, while Jamaica’s Oblique Seville recovered from a shaky start to clock 9.93 for third. In Heat 2, Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson showed his credentials with a controlled 9.95, matching Lyles’ time while looking equally composed.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Lyles explained his mindset and how he is pacing himself for the business end of the competition.

“That was real easy. Exactly what I wanted to see—open strides, really getting into my acceleration. Each round is just going to get better,” he said.

On assessing his start, Lyles was measured:

 “I don’t know where I was at the 10-meter mark, but I’d say it was more open than it was right before we came out. It was the best start of the season for sure. Compared to the season overall and what I’ve done in the last three days, I’d give it a B+.”

Athletes and observers have raised concerns that the warm-up track for the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships is approximately 15 km from the main stadium, meaning competitors must take a shuttle after warming up.

This distance has sparked debate since in previous major events the warm-up facilities have often been much closer, sometimes right across the street from the competition venue.

However, the reigning Olympic champion credited his preparation for helping him handle the inconvenience of having the warm-up track located very far away from the Tokyo Olympic stadium where the championships are taking place.

“You know what’s funny? When I made my first World Youth team, I had a similar situation where the track was too far, so we had to get on a bus. It reminded me of that. 

“But it’s just about being prepared. I asked the coach yesterday, ‘Hey, we’re going to be there early, what do you want me to do?’ He said, ‘Do fast leg left, fast leg right, fly, and make sure this is all done 15 minutes before you actually race.’ That’s it. That’s what I did.”

As the field braces for the semifinal showdown, Lyles insists he feels sharper with every race.

“The last one, I could hear my own thoughts echoing off the wall—completely different,” he said, suggesting a growing clarity and confidence.

With Leotlela and Ajayi in record-breaking form, Thompson looking smooth, and Seville always dangerous, the men’s 100m final could shape into one of the most explosive races of the Tokyo Championships.