In the world of athletics, Usain Bolt is a force to be reckoned with. Despite bidding farewell to track and field in 2017, the athlete still holds the record for the fastest time on 200m tracks by clocking in 19.19 seconds. And since 2009, many staunch athletes, including newly crowned world champion Noah Lyles, have attempted to break the record that remains strong after 14 years.

Interestingly, following Lightning Bolt’s achievement on the track, another Jamaican athlete has stolen the limelight. After the back-to-back setbacks faced by team Jamaica in the 2023 season, a 22-year-old athlete who began his professional career in 2023 managed to become one of the fastest men of this season.

Kishane Thompson upholding Usain Bolt’s legacy

On September 30, Rori Dunk posted an intriguing post on X. According to the tweet, “Kishane Thompson is Jamaica’s fastest man in 2023 with 9.85” The athlete has shown a quite impressive progression over the past few seasons. In 2020,  Thompson set his personal best with 10.56, followed by a 35-second difference in the 2022 season’s best, 10.21 seconds. Lastly, this year, the athlete secured his new personal best with a time of 9.85 on tracks in China, which marked him as the fastest man in Jamaica.

Kishane Thompson became Jamaica’s fastest man at the 100m event of the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League. The athlete, with his quick start, secured the second position (9.85), while the 2023 Diamond League winner, Christian Coleman, won the event in 9.83 seconds. Lastly, the 2022 Word Champion Fred Kerley secured the third position by clocking in 9.96 seconds.

Interestingly, after setting this record on the Chinese tracks, the 22-year-old qualified for the Diamond League finals. However, despite his best efforts, Thompson could not secure a win on American soil.

Kishane Thompson’s loss at the Diamond League

At the Diamond League, many staunch athletes were spotted at the 100m lineup. Apart from Kishane Thompson, 200m expert Noah Lyles decided to run against his on-track rival Letsile Tebogo on the 100m tracks. However, despite both athletes’ best efforts, Christain Coleman won the event. The US athletics star won his second diamond league trophy in 9.83 seconds, while Thompson could not secure a position on the podium by finishing fourth in 9.87 seconds. The 26-year-old Noah Lyles and Ferdinand Omanyala secured the second and the third position by clocking in 9.85 seconds.

After the loss, the 22-year-old athlete told the media, “I was lacking my execution. I just gotta go back to the gym and work on my execution. Further, while talking about not being able to participate in any event for six months, the sprinter added, “I was set back for so many months accumulation of six months and then to come back, and so I was just grateful for what I had produced”

Also read: Supposed To Be the Man To Challenge Usain Bolt”: USA’s Veteran Track and Field Coach Expresses Disappointment Over Special Athlete’s Untapped Potential

Interestingly, despite the loss at the last battle of the season, Kishane Thompson secured a staunch record this year. The Jamaican fans are now all girded up to witness the 22-year-old athlete strike his magic in the next season and etch his name in history alongside the legend, Usain Bolt

Watch this story: Noah Lyles Eyeing on Shattering Another Record of Usain Bolt After Breaking the Sprinting Legend’s Record in Seven Years