How to watch men’s 100m at World Track and Field Championships: Noah Lyles eyes repeat title

The men’s 100m semifinals and final at the 2025 World Track and Field Championships air live Sunday morning on CNBC and Peacock.

The world 100m champion is traditionally considered the world’s fastest man, an unofficial title that Noah Lyles has held since he won the last world title in 2023.

Lyles followed that with Olympic 100m gold in Paris, becoming the first American to win that title since 2004.

Now Lyles bids to become the first repeat men’s 100m world champion since Usain Bolt in 2013 and ’15.

Who are the favorites in the World Championships men’s 100m?

Lyles faces a sizable challenge in Jamaican Kishane Thompson, who led Lyles in the 2024 Olympic final until the final strides. Lyles ended up winning by five thousandths of a second — 9.784 to 9.789.

Thompson is the world’s fastest man in 2025.

On June 27, he won the Jamaican title in 9.75 seconds, the world’s best time in a decade. On Aug. 16, he beat Lyles in their first head-to-head since the Paris Olympics, 9.87 to 9.90.

But Lyles was upbeat, since he was still ramping up his season after an ankle injury in the spring.

The World Championships field also features U.S. 100m champion Kenny Bednarek, the world’s second-fastest man this year with a best time of 9.79.

Bednarek, a two-time Olympic 200m silver medalist, eyes his first 100m medal at a global championship.

Plus Jamaican Oblique Seville, who has two wins over Lyles this season, clocking 9.86 and 9.87 into headwinds.

World Championships Men’s 100m Schedule

Noah Lyles edged Kishane Thompson by .005 at the Paris Olympics.