Jamaican Sprinter Oblique Seville Claims 100m World Championship Gold, Leads 1-2 Finish in Tokyo

Jamaica's Oblique Seville won the men's 100m world title at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, running a personal best time of 9.77 seconds to defeat his teammate Kishane Thompson by five hundredths of a second.

Oblique Seville Adds to Jamaica's Medal Sprint List

The 24-year-old sprinter became the first Jamaican man to win a global 100m championship since Usain Bolt captured Olympic gold in Rio 2016. Seville, who is coached by the same man who guided Bolt to several world and Olympic titles and the world records, Glen Mills, had predicted a Jamaican 1-2 finish before the event. Bolt watched the race by his countryman from the VIP section at the Japan National Stadium.

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After crossing the finish line, Seville tore open his racing vest and beat his chest as Bolt looked on approvingly from the stands. The moment represented a passing of the torch for Jamaican sprinting, with the island nation reclaiming its position atop the men's 100m world rankings.

"The last time Jamaica won the men's 100m world gold medal was in 2016, when Usain Bolt got it," Seville said after his victory. "I feel really amazing and excited that the gold is coming home to Jamaica."

Kishane Thompson, who ran the world's fastest time this season at 9.75 seconds, had to settle for second place in Tokyo in 9.82. American defending champion Noah Lyles took third place in 9.89, adding to his defending world champion status despite not reaching the top step of the podium.

Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo was disqualified from the final for a false start, while American Kenny Bednarek struggled with a poor start and never recovered despite being one of the fastest qualifiers.

The race took place in humid conditions at the Japan National Stadium, with Bolt receiving a special parade earlier in the evening. Thompson had entered the championships as the season leader and appeared relaxed before the final, greeting volunteers with fist bumps in typical Bolt-like fashion.

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After a hiccup in the first round, Seville impressed in the semifinals with a time of 9.86 seconds. Lyles won his semifinal heat in 9.92 after recovering from a slow start, while Thompson and Bednarek both qualified with identical times of 9.85.

"I have proved that I am a true competitor, that I have the determination of a champion," Seville explained. "But still, I was panicking. I didn't know what was going on throughout the semifinal."

The victory marks a breakthrough moment for Seville, who had struggled with strong finishes throughout the season. His improvement in the final 30-40 meters proved decisive in securing Jamaica's first men's 100m world title in nearly a decade.

Lyles had declared himself in "the best form I have ever been in my life" following the heats, though his third-place finish suggests otherwise. The American sprinter celebrated enthusiastically despite missing out on gold and will have another chance in the 200m event later in the championships.

"I came to the world championships with only four races over 100 metres under my belt," Lyles told reporters here today. "I was making sure every round was faster. Even in the final, I was able to run my season's best, and I will never be disappointed with that."