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The term ‘photo finish’ has never been more appropriate than at the finish of the men’s 100-meter race featuring American Noah Lyles and Jamaican Kishane Thompson.
Lyles won by the narrowest of margins — so narrow that it appeared to most that Thompson had won. NBC play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey called Thompson the winner at that point during the broadcast.
However, no winner was officially declared as replays and photos were closely examined. The Jamaican sprinter initially seemed to think he had won, until it became clear that the finish had been revised.
Then the photo and slow-motion replay evidence came in and showed that Lyles was indeed the winner. It was a close call, a very close call. Comparisons were immediately made: a hair’s breadth, a breath, a blink of an eye. The Associated Press photo captures it perfectly. According to Olympic rules, a runner has not crossed the finish line until his torso has passed it. That’s why Lyles won.
At least one commentator got it right from the start. That was, of course, former American sprinter and four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, who worked for the BBC.
Michael Johnson, working for the BBC, pointed out off-camera that it was Noah Lyles who won the men’s 100 metres. He knew. photo.twitter.com/dm9opm7WRP
— Ken Fang — Very Asian (@fangsbites) August 4, 2024
Afterward, many viewers — fans and media alike — criticized NBC for calling Thompson the winner so quickly. Still, the finish was so close and fast that it’s hard to fault Diffey for calling a result that, to the naked eye, seemed plausibly correct.
NBC gave it to Thompson very quickly there
— Ken Chia, a guest online (@kcchia80) August 4, 2024
Interesting that the NBC track commentators initially called 100m “foul” (in quotes, because I can’t blame them, they were working by eye). But they seemed convinced that Jamaica’s Thompson had won. Even after Lyles heard he had won (in a photo finish) they said nothing! #Paris2024
— jill vejnoska (@ajcjillv) August 4, 2024
Another issue that was quickly raised on social media was that the broadcast team went silent when the footage of the photo was reviewed. Did the NBC team suddenly realize that it had made a mistake by calling Thompson the winner so quickly?
Shocked that #NBC ‘s Leigh Diffey announced Kishane Thompson as the winner. It was too close to call. Announcement 101: If you’re not 100% sure, wait!
Congratulations Noah Lyles!#Olympic Games in Paris— Cedric (@CHC1969) August 4, 2024
I just watched the NBC broadcast of the Lyles run, OMG, so bad
Said Thompson had won and then didn’t say a word until 10 seconds after Lyles started celebrating
The world feed or whatever was much better. I watched because I didn’t want other events to be ruined, but I was curious about the NBC call
— Hookah Doncic Fan Club (@MavsAllTheTime) August 4, 2024
But what can be said while everyone — including the race participants — waits for the official verdict?
NBC thought it was Thompson until Lyles fourth and then times were never shown on screen again??? Just really bad stuff ruining an incredible race https://t.co/umagWOcBFl
— Mary Clarke (@marycclarke) August 4, 2024
Social media has become the harshest judge of broadcast and print media. In this case, time will likely favor NBC and Diffey as the heat of the finish wears off.
The broadcasters literally predicted the race as they saw it — even though their eyesight was giving them split-second incorrect information. Virtually everyone watching saw it the same way.
Television broadcasts use high-resolution slow-motion cameras from multiple angles for moments like this, so the outcome was not in dispute, even though the actual winner was not immediately clear.
