Kishane Thompson

Kishane Thompson Career

Kishane Thompson has made a big impact in the sprints in his short time competing professionally, having already picked up an Olympic silver medal and running one of the fastest 100-meter times in history.

Through high school, Thompason was mentored by Dennis May and nurtured by his coaches Oliver Heywood and Neville Myton. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted his high-school career and prevented him from posting times reflecting his true potential. Still, he earned a scholarship to Iowa Western Community College in the United States, but declined to stay closer to his twin brother Kishaun.

Thompson debuted in the Diamond League, the top athletics circuit, in July 2023 at the Herculis EBS Monaco Meeting. He ran 10.04 seconds to secure fifth.

In September of the same year, he improved his personal best to 9.85 seconds and finished second in the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen. At his final Diamond League competition of the year in Eugene, he finished fourth with a time of 9.87 seconds.

Kishane Thompson’s Breakout

Thompson’s personal best of 9.85 seconds from 2023 had already established him as one of the top short sprinters in the world, but 2024 would be the year he really established himself.

In June 2024, he lowered his personal best in the 100 meters to 9.82 seconds in the preliminary round at the Jamaican Olympic Trials in Kingston. He followed up this time with another personal best of 9.77 seconds in the final. The time won the competition, edging out Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake, who ran 9.82 seconds and 9.92 seconds, respectively.

Thompson’s time of 9.77 seconds would remain the fastest time in the world in 2024 throughout the season, ahead of Noah Lyles’ eventual Olympic-winning time and Ferdinand Omanyala’s winning time at the Kenyan Olympic trials of 9.79 seconds.

Perhaps most impressively, The Olympic Trials was Thompson’s first race in the 100 meters of the season.

Kishane Thompson 2024 Olympic Games

Kishane Thompson went into the 2024 Olympic Games as one of the favorites, along with the defending World Champion Noah Lyles, to win the 100 meters in a competitive field. After easily making it through the preliminary round with a time of 10.00 seconds, he ran a time of 9.80 seconds in the semi-finals to win his heat and qualify for the finals.

The final would go down as the deepest men’s 100-meter field in Olympic history. All eight men ran 9.91 seconds or faster. At first glance, it appeared that Thompson edged out Lyles at the finish line. Even several announcers, such as Leigh Diffey of NBC, initially called Thompson the winner.

However, after review with the photo finish, it was found that Lyles’s more aggressive lean at the finish line captured him gold by five-thousandths of a second.

Both men’s times rounded to 9.79 seconds. Fred Kerley won bronze with a time of 9.81 seconds.

2025 Season and Onward

Thompson ran a new personal best in the 60-meter dash of 6.48 seconds in January. The time put him fifth on the Jamaican all-time list, even though he ran into a -2.1m/s headwind.

He opened his season in the 100 meters with a sub-ten-second time of 9.99 seconds at the Shanghai Diamond League Meeting, taking home silver behind Akani Simbine, who ran 9.98 seconds.

Thompson ran a new personal best of 9.75s at the Jamaican National Championships in June to capture gold and a berth at the World Championships in Tokyo.

He went undefeated through the rest of the season until the final of the World Championships, where he once again had to settle for second at a major global championship. This time, he finished ahead of his rival Lyles’ but behind Jamaican teammate Oblique Seveille, who ran a new personal best of 9.77 seconds.

Personal Life and Other Facts

Thompson’s 100-meter best time of 9.75 seconds makes him the fourth fastest sprinter in Jamaican history. He’s in good company, behind Asafa Powell (9.72 seconds and former world record), Yohan Blake (9.69 seconds), and Usain Bolt (9.58 seconds and world record).

Thompson is coached by Stephen “Franno” Francis with the MVP club in Jamaica. Francis has a long coaching legacy in Jamaica, having coached the previous four Jamaican women’s 100-meter champions and having worked with Asafa Powell.

After graduating from high school as a promising young sprinter, Thompson declined a scholarship to Iowa Western Community College because he didn’t want to be away from his twin brother Kishaun. He has an amulet that he shares with his brother, which he kisses as part of his ritual before getting into the starting blocks.

He is currently studying for a degree in sports management at the University of Technology.

FAQS

How old is Kishane Thompson?

Kishane Thompson was born on July 17, 2001. He is currently 24.

Where Is Kishane Thompson From?

Kishane Thompson was born and raised in Jamaica.  

Where was Kishne Thompson born?

Kishane Thompson was born in Mitchell Town, Jamaica.