'He plays mind games with those he is faster than'- Kishane Thompson's coach weighs in on rivalry with Noah Lyles

As the sprint rivalry between Olympic champion and Jamaican sprint sensation heats up, Thompson’s coach Stephen Francis has called out Lyles, dismissing the idea that his psychological tactics will have an effect on the Jamaican athlete

Lyles, known for his bold personality and competitive banter, has repeatedly fueled the rivalry with Thompson, making statements that have added extra fuel to the fire in what has already been an exciting build-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics

Francis, however, is not buying into the mind games, noting that Lyles tends to use psychological tactics with athletes he perceives as being inferior

«Well, I think you will find he (Noah Lyles) plays mind games with those he is faster than,» said Francis in Netflix’s recent docuseries Sprint

«He won’t have much opportunity against Kishane,» he asserted

Kishane Thompson is embracing rival Noah Lyles' pre-race antics as motivation, vowing to refine his strategy and confidence for future dominance despite narrowly missing gold in Paris.

The rivalry truly ignited during the lead-up to the 2024 Olympic Games, when the relatively unknown Thompson made headlines with a scorching time of 9.77 seconds at the Jamaican Olympic Trials.

That run marked him as a serious contender for the gold medal, with many speculating that he could be Lyles’ main rival in Paris.

The anticipation was palpable, as the pair of sprinters prepared for what promised to be a thrilling showdown.

The tension reached its peak during the 100-meter final in Paris, where both Lyles and Thompson lived up to expectations in a race for the ages.

Despite Thompson’s stellar performance, Lyles edged him out by a fraction of a second, with both athletes clocking impressive times of 9.79 seconds.

Stephen Francis, who has coached Kishane Thompson into becoming one of the most exciting young sprinters in the world, has now told his protege the mistake he made that cost him gold to Noah Lyles at the Olympic final in Paris last August.

The result was a razor-thin margin, underscoring just how evenly matched the two men are in terms of speed and talent.

Looking ahead, the rivalry between Lyles and Thompson is expected to continue to evolve as both athletes enter the prime of their careers.