Online Reporter
TWO new global 100m champions were crowned as America’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville claimed stunning breakthrough victories at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday.
Jefferson-Wooden, 24, sealed gold in the women’s final in emphatic fashion, proving a class above her rivals in a championship record 10.61 seconds.
Less than 10 minutes later inside Japan’s electric National Stadium, Seville, also 24, ripped his vest in celebration after becoming the first Jamaican man to win a global 100m title since athletics icon Usain Bolt, who was watching here in the stands.
With a winning time of 9.77, Seville led a Jamaican one-two ahead of Kishane Thompson, while defending champion Noah Lyles of the USA was forced to settle for bronze.
Fuelled by her desire to stand on the top of the podium after winning 100m bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Jefferson-Wooden arrived in Tokyo as favourite following a stellar season.
Jefferson-Wooden, who has enjoyed success as part of the USA’s 4x100m relay team, had run the fastest three times of 2025 and remained unbeaten over the distance.
She dispelled any suggestions that the subsequent increased expectations might weigh heavy as she cruised through the rounds, before producing a devastating, record-breaking final performance.
Not only did it deliver the gold she desired, but she hinted at where she might yet go from here by clocking the fourth fastest time in history.
Jamaica’s Tina Clayton claimed silver, with Olympic champion Julien Alfred, from Saint Lucia, taking bronze, and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith finishing eighth.
As three-time Olympic 100m champion Bolt watched on, Seville at last delivered the crowning moment his talent has long promised.
Dethroned champion Lyles was never in contention for gold. Instead, it was compatriot Thompson, the fastest man in the world this year with a best of 9.75, who remained Seville’s biggest threat to the very end.
Seville was last in the fastest 100m race in history at last summer’s Games, and narrowly missed out on the podium at the previous World Championships in 2023 – but he was not to be denied this time.
Under the guidance of Bolt’s former coach, Glen Mills, Seville will hope this is just the start — as will his nation, with its sprinting prowess revived. — BBC Sport.
