TOKYO, Japan – Oblique Seville captured his first senior men’s title in sensational fashion when he upset the field in the men’s 100 meters at the World Athletic Championships here on Sunday. The 24-year-old Jamaican ran a lifetime best of 9.77 seconds to claim the gold medal ahead of compatriot and pre-race favorite Kishane Thompson (9.82) and the USA’s Noah Lyles (9.89), who finished second and third respectively. In a race that saw Botswana’s Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo disqualified, Thompson seemed on track to make up for his silver medal at last year’s Paris Olympics after flying into the lead following a good start. But Seville, running on the outside, overtook his fellow Jamaican at the 90-metre mark before crossing the line comfortably ahead. In doing so, he became the first Jamaican man since Usain Bolt in 2015 to become world champion in the event. “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,” an elated Seville said after the race. “But still, I was panicking, I didn’t know what was going on throughout the semi-final. Finishing strong in the last 30 to 40 meters was something I was struggling with the whole season, I just didn’t recognize 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,” he added. Meanwhile, despite finishing third in the women’s 100 meters, Saint Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred said she was satisfied with her performance. In a race that saw the USA’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden storm to victory in a championship record time of 10.61 seconds and Jamaica’s Tia Clayton grab the silver medal in a personal best time of 10.74 seconds, Alfred had to settle for bronze in 10.84 seconds. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson finished a disappointing fourth, in a season’s best 10.88, defending champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA was fifth in 10.94, while Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, competing in her final international meet before retirement was sixth in 11.03 seconds. Alfred, one of the pre-race favorites, admitted it was not one of her best performances. “It’s a great opportunity. Every time I step on the track I’m blessed. I didn’t get a gold medal, but I’m still happy nonetheless,” Alfred said. “I wasn’t in the right frame of mind, to be quite honest. Felt my hamstring a little bit in the warmup area before I came out to the final, so that threw me off a little bit. I have to go back to my team and see how I can get better.” Fraser-Pryce, who at the age of 38 has made every single World Championships 100m final since 2009, described it as a bittersweet feeling. “I’m feeling so many emotions right now. To be able to walk away finishing sixth, for some people it’s bittersweet–and for me too. But to have been doing it for so long, I’m blessed,” Fraser-Pryce
September 15, 2025
in Sports
TOKYO, Japan – Oblique Seville captured his first senior men’s title in sensational fashion when he upset the field in the men’s 100 meters at the World Athletic Championships here on Sunday. The 24-year-old Jamaican ran a lifetime best of 9.77 seconds to claim the gold medal...
