Kishane Thompson’s 2025 campaign has carried the urgency of a man correcting the fine print of last year. After the heartbreak of his razor-thin defeat to Noah Lyles in Paris, the Jamaican sprinter opened this season with a string of polished performances that restored his place at the top of the world lists. For instance, his 9.75-second run at the Jamaican Trials in June remains the fastest time of the year and the sixth-quickest ever recorded. But, just as anticipation for his head-to-head duel against Lyles reached its peak at the Lausanne Diamond League, Thompson’s plans took an unexpected turn…

He had to pull out. This comes after he competed against Lyles Silesia on August 16. In front of a packed stadium, Thompson surged from the blocks, forcing Lyles to chase. The American closed hard, but not quickly enough… Thompson crossed first in 9.87 seconds, while Lyles finished with 9.90, his best of the season. Kenny Bednarek followed in 9.96, tied with Christian Coleman. Thompson’s victory was decisive, but it was also unfinished business. Fans circled August 20 on the calendar, expecting to see the rivalry resume in Lausanne.

Instead, the season’s direction changed. Thompson withdrew from the Lausanne Diamond League and, according to multiple reports, will not contest any remaining Diamond League events this year. “Kishane Thompson has pulled out of the Lausanne Diamond League and won’t be competing in any more of the Diamond Leagues this season. I suspect the next time we’ll see him compete is September 13th in the 100m Heats at the Tokyo World Championships,” ‘The Inside Lane reporter’, Lillian shared on her X account.

The explanation, as provided, was “shin discomfort,” an ailment significant enough to force a pause at the very point when momentum and storylines were converging. However, numbers can provide an explanation too.

He has been consistent this year and won seven straight 100m races this season. His 9.88 at the Racers Grand Prix and 9.85 at the Prefontaine Classic confirmed his consistency against world-class fields. His perfect record in 2025 gave every appearance of a man sharpening for the September World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The withdrawal, then, represents less an abandonment of form than a recalibration of timing. With less than a month before the World Championships, the calculus of risk is clear.

The immediate consequence is that the Diamond League loses its most compelling attraction of the summer. Lausanne was set for another clash between Thompson and Lyles, a battle that will now be postponed until Tokyo. There, beginning with the heats on September 13, the world will see if Thompson’s restraint pays off. For the moment, the season’s fastest man has stepped away from the circuit, preserving his unbeaten run and leaving his next chapter to unfold in Japan. However, amid this, Thompson’s pointed remark about NoJo turned into action as he defeated him in Silesia.

Kishane Thompson backs up pointed words with victory over Noah Lyles in Silesia

Kishane Thompson arrived in Silesia carrying more than just the weight of expectation; he carried words that had already unsettled the conversation. In Budapest, only days before, he remarked with a relaxed air, “Budapest is just a nice vibe. I just want to come out here and get some battle experience and have fun… to hear that I’m the world’s fastest man… It’s a joyful feeling… I think some people brag about it more than I do. I’m not a bragger.” The line, delivered without visible strain, struck as a gentle provocation, one that lingered in the space between confidence and challenge.

The timing of those words could not have been more precise. Noah Lyles, long accustomed to the status of reigning figurehead, entered the same weekend poised to extend his championship authority. Thompson’s statement did not simply position him as content with his role. It drew attention to the distinction between speed achieved in the present season and titles accumulated over the years. The phrase “I’m not a bragger” carried resonance, implying that others, by contrast, may live comfortably in their declarations. Even without naming his rival, the audience discerned who Thompson was hinting at. 

When the two men met on the track, it was Thompson who emerged with the performance to validate his words. The quiet assertion in Budapest translated into a decisive outcome, transforming what had seemed a measured remark into a calculated foreshadowing. Lyles retained his mantle as a decorated champion, but the victory in Silesia belonged to Kishane Thompson.

Regardless, Lyles will face another Jamaican rival at Lausanne: Oblique Seville.