Seville Crowned New World 100m Champion As Nigeria’s Ajayi Finishes Sixth

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By Sportsgister

Jamaican sprint star Oblique Seville finally lived up to the hype on the grandest stage of all, storming to victory in the men’s 100m final at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Seville produced the race of his life, clocking a blistering Personal Best (PB) of 9.77s (+0.3) to claim the coveted gold medal and etch his name into Jamaican sprinting history.

The 23-year-old became the first Jamaican to win the men’s 100m world title since the legendary Usain Bolt last did so in 2015. For years, Seville had been billed as one of Jamaica’s brightest prospects, narrowly missing out on global podiums in previous editions. This time, however, he executed his race to perfection, finishing strong in the last 20 meters to secure the crown.

His compatriot Kishane Thompson also underlined Jamaica’s depth in sprinting, storming home in 9.82s to clinch the silver medal. Thompson’s performance marked a Jamaican 1–2 finish on the world stage, reminiscent of the nation’s dominance during the Bolt era.

Meanwhile, Noah Lyles of the United States, one of the pre-race favorites, had to settle for bronze with a time of 9.89s. Though known for his explosive 200m prowess, Lyles had been eyeing the sprint double, but the Jamaicans proved too strong on the night.

For Nigeria, Kanyinsola Ajayi capped off his breakthrough championship campaign with a sixth-place finish in the final. The 21-year-old had earlier made history by becoming the first Nigerian man in 18 years to reach a World Championships 100m final, after Olusoji Fasuba’s appearance in 2007. Although Ajayi could not secure a medal, his consistent sub-10 second performances in Tokyo announced him as a new force in African sprinting.

The final was not without drama, as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, one of the most exciting young sprinters in the world, was disqualified for a false start—an unfortunate twist that denied fans the chance to see him contest the medals.

With Seville’s triumph, Jamaica once again reclaimed its place at the pinnacle of men’s sprinting, signaling a potential new era after the golden years of Bolt. The Caribbean island, long celebrated as the sprint capital of the world, now has a new hero to carry the torch.