Jamaicans dominate sprint showpiece as Kishane Thompson wins silver and Noah Lyles takes bronze at World Championships.

Usain Bolt was in the stands to watch his pre-race prediction come true as Jamaica completed a one-two in the men’s 100m final at the World Championships in Tokyo on Sunday night (September 14). 

Earlier this week, the world record-holder had insisted that his fellow countrymen could take gold and silver in the blue riband event – and so it proved. Bolt had been the last Jamaican to hold the men’s 100m world title, thanks to his victory in Beijing in 2015, but at last the succession has taken place. 

Oblique Seville is the man now sitting on the global sprinting throne, clocking a PB of 9.77 (0.3) to beat compatriot Kishane Thompson (9.82) to the line and leave Olympic champion Noah Lyles to settle for third, despite the American’s season’s best of 9.89.

After the pre-race tension was ramped up by a false start from Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, it was Seville who reacted fastest to the gun but Thompson started sharply too and quickly established a lead, the Jamaican duo leaving the field in their wake. 

Seville, running in lane seven, finished the stronger, though and powered his way to gold.  USA’s Kenny Bednarek was fourth in 9.92, South Africa’s Gift Leotlela fifth in 9.95.

Tokyo was already a special place for the winner, given that he made his senior international debut at the Olympics there four years ago. He reached the semi-finals then as an emerging talent but, since then, had been developing a reputation for not rising to the big occasion. 

At last year’s Paris Olympics, for example, he ran the fastest time in the semi-finals but finished eighth as Lyles pipped Thompson. This time was different. 

“To come out here and run 9.77 is something amazing,” said Seville, who is coached by Bolt’s former mentor, Glen Mills.

"I have proved that I am a true competitor, that I have the determination of a champion. 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. 

“It is a tremendous feeling to compete in front of Usain here in Tokyo. His coach is my coach and I know that both of them are very proud of me right now. I have proved, in front of him, that I am a champion and I am very proud of that. Now, more gold medals."

At one stage, Britain’s Jeremiah Azu and then Zharnel Hughes (10.03) swapped places in the non-automatic qualifier’s hot seat for the final, but ultimately didn’t get through. Romell Glave ran 10.09 for sixth in the third semi.

Speed was the overarching theme when it came to the 400m last night, too, with the fastest times ever recorded for a World Championships heat on both the men’s and women’s side.

For the men, US champion Jacory Patterson was fastest overall with a blistering 43.90, his fellow American Khaleb McRae closest in 44.25 as no fewer than 25 athletes broke 45 seconds. 

Despite a hip problem and looking decidedly uncomfortable, Olympic and world silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith went through to the semis in 44.68, and was joined by team-mates Charlie Dobson (44.85) and Sam Reardon (44.70).

The 2019 world champion, Salwa Eid Naser, led the way for the women with her run of 49.13. Second fastest was Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (49.41) with reigning Olympic and world champion Marileidy Paulino fourth overall but comfortably through in 49.85.

The British trio of world indoor champion Amber Anning (49.96), Yemi Mary John (50.71) and Victoria Ohuruogu (51.37) also progressed.