The pre-race light shows and dramatic music at the expectant Stade de France created a heightened sensory experience during the prolonged wait for the starting pistol.
Yet, these dazzling theatrics paled in comparison to the events of the ensuing 10 seconds.
As Noah Lyles celebrated his inaugural Olympic victory, others were left in awe, having witnessed one of the most extraordinary 100m races in history.
American Lyles had taken victory by five thousandths from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in a dramatic photo finish, winning in 9.79 seconds.
All eight men finished within 0.12secs of the gold medal, with last-placed Jamaican Oblique Seville crossing the line in 9.91 – a time good enough for fourth at the Tokyo Games.
And it meant, for the first time, that eight men had run under 10 seconds in a wind-legal race – making it the fastest race in history.
Not until the big screen inside the stadium displayed the official results, after an agonizing wait, did anybody truly know Lyles – thanks to a sensational surge and torso dip at the line – had taken gold.
It was not until the very last meters on the eye-catching purple track that he was even in contention.
Lyles tied with Letsile Tebogo for the slowest reaction time of anyone in the field, a time of 0.178 notably down on Fred Kerley’s lightning 0.108.
et Tebogo would go on to cross the line in sixth, while Kerley could only hold on for bronze.
“Lyles didn’t even have a medal 10 meters out. He didn’t have a hope of winning,” Olympic medalist Steve Cram said
The 27-year-old reached his peak speed of 43.6 kilometers per hour at the 60-metre mark, propelling him into medal contention. He then outpaced all competitors in the final stretch to secure the ultimate prize with his last stride.
Thompson, who holds this year’s record as the fastest man with a time of 9.77, kept his lead from the 30-metre mark until just 10 meters before the finish line.
It was the finest margins which determined the outcome, as Lyles covered the distance between 80-90 metres in 0.84 and the final 10 meters in 0.86 – compared to 0.85 and 0.87 for Thompson.
“I did think [Thompson] had it at the end. I went up to him while we were waiting, and said ‘I think you’ve got that, good going’, and then my name popped up and I’m like ‘oh my gosh, I’m amazing’,” Lyles said.
“I’m going to be honest; I wasn’t ready to see it and that’s the first time I’ve ever said that. I wasn’t ready to see it.”
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Lyles has consistently presented himself as the successor to Usain Bolt’s legacy, blending his on-track achievements with off-track charisma in an effort to become the new icon of men’s athletics.
Unfazed by the prospect of heightened expectations, Lyles has openly expressed his ambition to surpass the enduring 100m and 200m records established by Jamaica’s eight-time Olympic champion Bolt, who retired in 2017.
The American has also claimed he will target four golds in Paris by adding the men’s 4x400m relay to his schedule after winning the world 100m, 200m and 4x100m title in Budapest 12 months ago.
Lyles will next pursue the Olympic 200m title as a three-time defending world champion in the event, although he had to settle for bronze on his Games debut in Tokyo three years ago.
