Seville Strikes Gold with 9.77s as Jamaica Dominates World 100m Final

Jamaica’s Oblique Seville delivered the performance of his life to claim the men’s 100 metres title at the World Athletics Championships, blazing to victory in a world-leading 9.77 seconds on Saturday night.

The 23-year-old, who had been knocking on the door of global success in recent years, finally etched his name into the history books, spearheading a new era for Jamaican sprinting. His triumph marks the first time since Usain Bolt’s era that Jamaica has struck gold in the men’s 100 metres on the world stage.

Seville was followed home by compatriot Kishane Thompson, who clocked 9.82 seconds to secure silver and seal a Jamaican one-two finish, further underlining the nation’s enduring dominance in sprinting. American Noah Lyles, the reigning world 200 metres champion, settled for bronze in 9.89 seconds after a strong finish.

There was also history for Nigeria, as Kanyinsola Ajayi became the first Nigerian sprinter in 18 years to line up in a World Championships 100 metres final. The 22-year-old gave an excellent account of himself, finishing sixth in a personal best-equalling time of 10.00 seconds. His achievement will be seen as a significant breakthrough for Nigerian athletics, which has long yearned for a resurgence in men’s sprinting.

With Seville’s triumph, Jamaica has reaffirmed its place at the summit of global sprinting, while the rise of Ajayi offers hope of greater African representation in the finals of the sport’s most prestigious race.