On 14 September 2025, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Oblique Seville of Jamaica stormed to victory in the men’s 100 metres final, stopping the clock at 9.77 seconds — a personal best — to claim the gold medal. In a dramatic race, Seville overtook his compatriot Kishane Thompson, who earned silver with a time of 9.82 s. Defending and Olympic champion Noah Lyles took bronze, clocking 9.89 s.
This result was noteworthy for several reasons. First, Seville’s win marked Jamaica’s return to the top of men’s world sprinting, something the country had not achieved in the 100m at World Championships since the era of Usain Bolt. Bolt’s legacy loomed large in Tokyo, as he watched from the stands.
Second, Seville’s performance showed real progression. In previous major championships — including the 2023 Worlds and the 2024 Olympics — he had shown flashes of brilliance (running fast times in semis or heats) but fell just short in finals. He had placed fourth in major finals before. His mental resilience, improved finishing, and ability to deliver under pressure came together in Tokyo.
Thompson too had entered Tokyo with one of the fastest times of the year, and although he didn’t win, his silver showed consistency among the world’s best sprinters. Meanwhile, Lyles, though famed and experienced, could not maintain the top position this time — his bronze is still a strong result, especially considering the competition and race conditions.
The conditions in Tokyo also played a role — heat, humidity, and high stakes add to the pressure in such finals. For Seville to perform so well under those conditions speaks to his preparation and physical readiness.
Beyond the final itself, this result has broader implications. It signals a changing of the guard in sprinting — where new names are now winning global titles, sometimes in the shadow of legends like Usain Bolt. It also shows that success at major championships depends not just on raw speed, but on composure, strategy (e.g. starts, finish), consistency through rounds, and peaking at the right moment.
For Jamaica, Seville’s winning time ends a drought in men’s 100m world titles that had persisted since Bolt’s retirement. The double of gold and silver (Seville + Thompson) in this event underscores Jamaica’s depth in sprinting talent and perhaps suggests that the sprinting dominance may remain strongly Jamaican in the near future.
Lessons to draw include: the importance of perseverance (as Seville had missed podiums before but didn’t give up), the need to perform in the final moments (starts and finishes count), and how psychological strength is just as important as physical training in world-class sport.
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In summary, the video captures not just a race, but a moment: Oblique Seville’s breakthrough, Jamaica reclaiming sprinting glory, and the emergence of new narratives in track and field. It’s an inspiring story of rising to the occasion — one that sprint fans, and indeed all sports lovers, are likely to remember.
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