At the Tokyo 25 World Athletics Championships, Jamaican sprinters Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson won the gold and silver medals, respectively, while defending champion Noah Lyles won the bronze. This was Seville’s first senior world title, after crossing the finish line in 9.77 seconds. Thompson claimed second place with 9.82 and Lyles third 9.89. Luke Phillips (AFP) reports in “Seville wins Tokyo 100m for first Jamaican men’s sprint title in 10 years.” (See KTEN for full article.)
Oblique Seville won Jamaica’s first men’s world 100m title in 10 years after outpacing Kishane Thompson and defending champion Noah Lyles for gold in Tokyo on Sunday. Seville timed a personal best of 9.77sec for the victory with Thompson taking silver in 9.82sec while Lyles claimed bronze with a time of 9.89sec.
It was the Caribbean island’s first world sprint title since Usain Bolt, watching from the stands, won the 100m and 200m double at the 2015 world championships in Beijing.
“It’s an excellent feeling,” said Seville. “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 said he had come good on his finish. “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 will not catch me.”
Bolt, an 11-time world champion, had bet on a Jamaican 1-2 in this 100m, outspokenly backing both Thompson and Seville to beat Olympic champion Lyles. And it proved to be an astute reading of form and technique. Bolt erupted in cheers when the Jamaican duo raced through the line.
Bob Marley’s “Buffalo Soldier” boomed over the tannoy as the sizeable Jamaican fan contingent cheered in delight, 24-year-old Seville responding by ripping open the top of his one-piece sprint suit. [. . .]
Thompson arguably got out to the best start from his blocks, propelling his huge frame into a lead that he only ceded to Seville in the very final metres.
As flags waved and whistles blew, the moment belonged to Jamaica and the potential arrival of a new dynasty of sprinters able to mix it once more with the elite of the United States.
For full article, see https://www.kten.com/news/seville-wins-tokyo-100m-for-first-jamaican-mens-sprint-title-in-10-years/article_a6d50960-1f6e-5207-9e48-bb9db603d604.html
Also see https://www.olympics.com/en/news/world-athletics-championships-2025-mens-100m-oblique-seville-shock-victory and https://www.rfi.fr/en/sports/20250914-seville-wins-tokyo-100m-for-first-jamaican-sprint-title-in-10-years
At the Tokyo 25 World Athletics Championships, Jamaican sprinters Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson won the gold and silver medals, respectively, while defending champion Noah Lyles won the bronze. This was Seville’s first senior world title, after crossing the finish line in 9.77 seconds. Thompson claimed second place with 9.82 and Lyles third 9.89. Luke Phillips
