Thousands of spectators turned on the flashlights on their mobile phones to illuminate the Stade de France. Like fireflies lighting up a dark forest, their LED wristbands turned the arena into a magical world of yellowish green light. There were laser beams and disco lights too. They created a magical and enchanting atmosphere and amplified the excitement of the competition.
It's the final minutes before the start of the men's 100 metres race at the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. There were 77,083 spectators, over 5,000 mediapersons, and 500-odd cameramen waiting for the glamour event to decide the fastest man in the world. They kept their eyes glued to the bright purple track to witness the spectacle firsthand.
Like festival lovers waiting to experience the magnificent fireworks at Thrissur Pooram, the crowd eagerly waited for the race to start. The giant clock in the stadium showed the local time. One by one, the eight finalists made a grand entrance and occupied their pre-assigned lanes at the starting block. Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley of the United States, Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville of Jamaica, Akani Simbine of South Africa, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and the defending champion Italy's Marcell Jacobs completed the star-studded line-up.
When the starter's gun went off, they rocketed off the blocks. The race was wrapped up within a blink of an eye. Who won the title? No one knows. Everyone in the stadium is glued to the scoreboard.
Cameras can capture images that humans would not be able to see with their naked eyes. Finally, the answer popped up on the giant screen. Yes, Lyles is the 100-metre champion at the Paris Olympics. He clinched the gold by five-thousandths of a second in 9.79 seconds, pushing Thompson behind. Lyles set off running around the track in celebration, jumping up and down, after his win was confirmed.
I went to the mixed zone where the media can meet athletes after a competition. Everyone there was waiting for Lyles. Within a few minutes, he appeared at the entrance and talked to a journalist from his home country. After finishing the interview, he let out a weird sound and galloped across the mixed zone, just like he crossed the finish line minutes before, and vanished in a jiffy.
It was a race delivered in excitement and exhilaration with the most unpredictable end. Thank you, Lyles!