Kishane Thompson delivered one of the most electrifying performances of the season at the Jamaica National Trials, clocking a world-leading time of 9.75 seconds in the men’s 100m final.
Crossing the line ahead of compatriots Oblique Seville (9.83) and Ackeem Blake (9.88), Thompson secured not only the national title but also sent a clear message to the global sprinting fraternity ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
However, speaking after the race, the 23-year-old insisted he was capable of much more.
“I didn’t execute the race the way I should have,” Thompson admitted in a post-race interview with Citius Mag.
“My start wasn’t the best, and there were a few things in the drive phase and transition that I didn’t get right. Honestly, that wasn’t my best effort compared to what I’ve been doing in training.”
While many sprinters would relish achieving such a blistering time, Thompson views it as a stepping stone. The sprinter emphasized that his focus is on fine-tuning every phase of his race, from the start, through the transition, to the final 20 metres, in pursuit of the ultimate prize
“I’ve been working on my transition, my drive phase, my maintenance at the end of the race. I got faster, but I want to put together a better race,” he noted.
“I want to trust myself even more and go back to the drawing board to address the weak points. It’s one target, to be honest. Everybody wants the gold, and that’s what I want too.”
Despite now sitting as the sixth-fastest man in history, Thompson insists that his performance didn’t surprise him.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to surprise myself because I know how capable I am. It’s just about understanding my speed and trusting it. I want to execute my races better.”
As the athletics world turns its eyes toward Tokyo, Thompson isn’t done yet, and the world should brace itself for what’s to come.
