In a twist fit for a sitcom, NBC’s Leigh Diffey accidentally crowned Kishane Thompson the 100-meter dash winner at the Paris Olympics, before photo finish revealed Noah Lyles as the real victor by a hair.

When the dust settled and the photo finish was finally analyzed, American sprinter Noah Lyles emerged as the true champion of the 100-meter dash at the 2024 Paris Olympics, securing the first U.S. gold in the event in two decades. The comedic mix-up by NBC announcer Leigh Diffey, who initially declared Kishane Thompson the winner, added an unexpected layer of suspense, but didn’t diminish Lyles' triumphant moment as he celebrated being crowned the fastest man in the world.

It was a race so tight that even the most skillful of eyes would've been forgiven for mistaking the winner. And that’s precisely what happened when NBC announcer Leigh Diffey prematurely dubbed Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson the champion of the men's 100-meter dash, before the photo finish review righted the record by pointing to Noah Lyles as the true victor.

Lyles’ win was nothing short of historic, being the first time the United States clinched the gold in the 100 meters in 20 years. The last time this honor belonged to America was in 2004, when Justin Gatlin took home the gold. Lyles not only reestablished American dominance in this track event but also instilled a fresh wave of pride among U.S. track and field enthusiasts. It's been so long since an American won the 100 meters, some might say our sprinters were stuck in a perpetual warm-up lap!

The photo finish revealed that Lyles had won by a razor-thin margin of just five thousandths of a second. The near-imperceptible difference underscored the intense level of competition in the race. As thrilling as it was for spectators, it was equally fraught with tension for the officials, who had to rely on both photo and video review to declare the winner. It was so close that even the photo finish needed a coffee to wake up and see the difference.

Once the dust—and the confusion—had settled, Lyles celebrated his victory with a gesture that needed no interpretation. Lifting his name tag towards the crowd, he gave a nod to those who had supported him, and a tangible marker of his achievement shone with undoubted clarity. After such a nail-biting finish, seems like even his name tag wanted to bask in the glory.

Naturally, an announcement mishap like that made for an interesting post-race atmosphere. Lyles himself admitted that the end of the race felt surreal. He initially thought Thompson had taken it, given the announcer’s call and the close finish. Upon realizing his victory, his initial disbelief quickly transformed into overwhelming joy.

In a thoroughly American affair, another notable performance came from Fred Kerley, who sprinted his way to a bronze medal in the same race. This brought home not one, but two medals for the U.S. in an event often considered the crown jewel of the Olympics.

For Noah Lyles, this 100-meter dash win has catapulted him to the apex of sprinting, cementing his reputation as the fastest man in the world. But Lyles isn't stopping here; he has more opportunities for gold, as he gears up to compete in the 200-meter dash and the 4 x 100 relay later in the Games. As they say, why settle for being the fastest in the world for just one race?

As for Leigh Diffey, this mix-up is likely to be one for the blooper reels. In a sport measured down to milliseconds, his announcing blunder added an extra dash of drama to an already heart-stopping race. One thing is clear: regardless of the initial confusion, Noah Lyles’ victory is now written in the record books with no asterisks needed.