Athletics-Lyles and Thompson keep apace in world championship heats

World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 - Men's 100m Round 1 - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - September 13, 2025 Noah Lyles of the U.S. in action during the heats REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

TOKYO (Reuters) -Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson, who were divided by five-thousands of a second in last year’s Olympic 100 metres final, were even closer on Saturday, albeit in separate heats, as they both clocked 9.95 seconds in the first round of the world championships.

Lyles nicked it on the line in Paris and, after a belated start to the season due to an ankle injury, is running into form at just the right time as he seeks to retain his world title.