Why Noah Lyles will skip potential early-season showdown against Kishane Thompson in China next March.
Reigning Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles has shut down hopes of an early-season showdown against rising Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson by confirming he will not participate in the 2025 World Indoor Championships in China.
Fans had anticipated an electrifying duel between the two speedsters, but Lyles has opted to focus on the outdoor season instead.
Lyles made the revelation after winning the 60m event at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, clocking 6.52 seconds to edge out Bahamian sprinter Terrence Jones by five hundredths of a second.
Noah Lyles won the season 60m opener at New Balance Indoor and took a swipe at Miami Dolphins receiver.
The American sprinter explained that skipping the indoor championships will allow him more time to prepare for the outdoor season, particularly the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for September 2025.
Thompson, meanwhile, has already showcased impressive early-season form. He opened his campaign at the Central Hurdles Relays and Field Events, recording a remarkable 6.48 seconds despite running into a -2.0 m/s headwind.
A week later, he dominated the Astana Indoor Meet for Amin Tuyakov Prizes, clocking 6.56 seconds to claim victory over Ali Anwar Al Balushi (6.60) and Shuhei Tada (6.62).
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Kishane Thompson started his season clocking 6.48 seconds into a -2.0 headwind, a time that suggests strong early-season form. However, his race execution has drawn scrutiny.
The excitement surrounding a potential Lyles-Thompson showdown had intensified after Lyles finished second to Christian Coleman at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
Coleman won the 60m final in a world-leading 6.41 seconds, while Lyles took silver with a personal best of 6.44 seconds. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica completed the podium with 6.46 seconds.
Despite speculation about a possible rematch in Nanjing, China, Lyles made it clear that his focus is on the long-term goal of excelling in the outdoor season.
“World Championships is in September, and to be honest, there are a lot of things I could fill my schedule up with later in the middle of the season. By not going indoors, which is all the way in China, it saves me time to prepare for that moment,” Lyles explained.
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Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson is emerging as a dominant force, excelling in the 60m and 100m while leading Jamaica’s sprint resurgence.
Lyles, who edged Thompson by five-thousandths of a second to claim Olympic gold in Paris, also detailed the technical improvements he is making to gain an upper hand in future races.
“I have been really working on mechanics. A lot of today was about getting my foot and hip to work together to create a quicker start,” he stated.
He further elaborated on his race strategy, emphasizing execution over time. “Time is time. I care more about how the race went. Getting the win is always number one. After that, it’s about execution—going through the acceleration phase and making sure I don’t stumble, which I didn’t feel today, so I’m very excited.”
With Lyles sitting out the indoor showdown, fans may have to wait until the World Championships in Tokyo for a much-anticipated rematch between the American sprinter and his Jamaican rival.
