Paris Olympics: 'Disappointed but happy at the same time', says Jamaica's Thompson after close finish in 100m final

Paris, Aug 5 (IANS) Kishane Thompson, the fastest man in the world so far this year with the 9.77 (his personal best), said he is a "bit disappointed" but happy at the same time after taking silver in men's 100m race, missing out on gold by just five thousandths of a second at the Paris Olympics.

In the deepest men’s 100m race of all time, the six-time world gold medallist Noah Lyles dipped to victory in a PB of 9.79 at Stade de France.

"I’m super grateful. I came out here and finished injury free. I think you guys know my past issues with injuries, so I am a bit disappointed. But I am happy at the same time. I am going to take it as what it is and move forward from here," said Thompson.

“I wasn’t patient enough with myself to let my speed bring me at the line, in the position that I know I could have gone to, but I have learnt from it," he added.

It was the first time that eight men have finished sub-10 in the same wind legal race and 0.12 is the smallest ever gap between first and eighth in an Olympic or world men’s 100m final.

Thompson and his compatriot Oblique Seville had already made history, running the fastest ever Olympic 100m semifinal times. Seville made a statement by clocking a PB of 9.81 to win the first semifinal, 0.02 ahead of Lyles. But Thompson responded by running 9.80 to take the third semifinal.

Thompson arrived at the men's final as the world leader this season in the event, with his 9.77 time at Jamaican Nationals in late June, but had limited international experience due to a variety of injuries in recent years. He only made his Diamond League debut last July, and has never ran in a world championships.

The new Olympic silver medallist said he's taking his runner-up performance on the Olympic stage as a learning experience, "I made it here. And to give off one of my best performances, if not my best, I'm really grateful for it.

"I made a mistake. I know my mistakes now. I'm just going to keep on working and doing the best that I can," he said.

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