The thrilling 100m spectacle has once again captivated the sporting world this summer as American sprinter Noah Lyles took home the Olympic gold over Jamaica’s Kishane Thomspon by just five-thousandths of a second. Usain Bolt, the greatest ever competitor, used this return to prominence to remind the world of his former greatness, posting a pair of photos from his double victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with the caption, “1 of 1” – making it clear he does not believe Lyles or any of the current crop can compare to what he achieved. Bolt won over global audiences from the Chinese capital 16 years ago with one of the most remarkable 100m efforts ever recorded, crossing the finish line in 9.69 seconds to beat second-place Richard Thompson by a dominant .2 seconds and break his own world record.

However, Bolt visibly slowed down to pound his chest in celebration, and the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Oslo predicted that the Jamaican icon would have run a sub-9.60 if he maintained his original pace. Bolt one-upped this legendary performance four years later in London, blowing away the 100m competition in 9.62 seconds, becoming the first man to successfully defend his sprint title since Carl Lewis before speaking his braggadocious, iconic line, “I’m now a legend.

I’m also the greatest athlete to live.” The 6’5 star competed in his final Olympics in 2016, once again cruising to first place with a 9.81-second finish, and imparted a likely unreachable standard on the Summer Games. On each occasion, he backed up his 100m gold with victories in the 200m, completing multiple sprint doubles which Lyles had hoped to emulate. Lyles also takes after Bolt’s confident persona, often describing himself as the “fastest man in the world,” and looked set to begin chipping away Bolt’s achievements.

“I try to be a showman – some people criticize me for it, some people love it,” Lyles told Sky Sports about his assured approach. “They’re watching because they want to see who’s going to be the fastest. And that’s what I want to bring. I want to bring entertainment to it.

I know that just because I win, it doesn’t mean that I’ll gain fans. I need to keep going. I want track and field to be known for, not just it’s a fast race. I want you to enjoy the whole spectacle of it, the entertainment part of it.” After his narrow 100m victory, Lyles found himself a heavy favorite to win the 200m event and become the first athlete since Bolt, and the first American since Lewis, to complete the “sprint double.

“Bolt was similarly dominant in the 200m, breaking a 12-year world record in Beijing and shattering his own mark a year later at the World Athletic Championships, which has not been bested to date. Lyles ultimately finished third in the 200m event in Paris, claiming after the race that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and electing to withdraw from the 4×100 relay later in the Games.