Oblique Seville etched his name in sprinting history on Sunday after storming to victory in the men’s 100 metres final at the World Athletics Championships (WAC) in Tokyo, delivering Jamaica its first gold medal in the event since the era of sprint legend Usain Bolt.
The 24-year-old sprinter produced the race of his life, clocking a personal best of 9.77 seconds to secure the coveted title. His compatriot Kishane Thompson followed closely in second place with a time of 9.82 seconds, while defending champion Noah Lyles of the United States of America settled for bronze in 9.89 seconds.
The triumph marked Jamaica’s first men’s 100m world crown since 2015, when Usain Bolt famously completed a sprint double in Beijing. Watching proudly from the stands, Bolt erupted with joy as his countrymen confirmed a 1-2 finish on the global stage.
“It’s an excellent feeling,” Seville said after the race. “The last time a Jamaican got the title was in 2015, and that was Usain Bolt. I feel really amazing and excited that the gold is coming home to Jamaica. I have proved that I am a true competitor, that I have the determination of a champion.”
Seville revealed that his biggest improvement this season came in the closing stages of races. “Finishing strong in the last 30 to 40 metres was something I was struggling with the whole season, I just didn’t recognise it. Now I have perfected it, and I was confident that if I could do it in the final, I would win. I knew if I had a strong finish, the others would not catch me.”
The night was not without drama, as Botswana’s Olympic silver medallist Letsile Tebogo was disqualified for a false start that drew a muted response from the crowd. With only seven athletes left in the race, anticipation soared inside Tokyo’s National Stadium.
From the gun, Thompson blasted out of the blocks, looking set to claim victory. But Seville surged in the final metres, leaving Lyles—known for his devastating top-end speed—too much ground to recover.
The stadium atmosphere erupted into celebration, with Bob Marley’s “Buffalo Soldier” echoing across the stands as Jamaican fans waved flags and danced in delight. Seville ripped open his sprint suit in jubilation, marking the beginning of a potential new sprinting dynasty for the Caribbean nation.
okay.ng reports that Bolt, an 11-time world champion, had confidently predicted before the race that Jamaica would finish first and second. His prediction came true in spectacular fashion.
