Seville sparks Jamaican men's sprint renaissance

Jamaica's Oblique Seville, who finally confirmed his promise by winning the men's world 100 metres title on Sunday, had the perfect role model growing up: sprint legend Usain Bolt, a man he describes as "my motivator".

Schedule | Results | TV Guide | Get DStv

Seville timed 9.77 seconds to beat better-known names such as American Noah Lyles, the defending world and Olympic champion, and Jamaican teammate Kishane Thompson at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

But the victory came as no surprise for the 24-year-old, who has had a life rooted in track and field, with none other than Bolt as a father figure on hand to dispense advice on life and sprinting.

Seville had long been the nearly man on the global stage, albeit having notched up two 100m victories over Lyles on the Diamond League circuit this season.

After making the semifinals of the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics, he followed up with two fourth places at the 2022 and 2023 world championships.

The modest Seville told AFP that missing the podium on those two occasions had taught him that "all the guys I competed with are very strong guys, so I have to maximise what I can do".

"And every year so far I lost fitness because of injuries issues. So I was not really at my full fitness."

BOLT'S HUGE INFLUENCE

Seville was raised in the rural area around Ness Castle, where he said roads were poor. Attending Calabar High School, he grew up playing cricket and football, but also enjoyed swimming in rivers.

"It was so much fun because I got to experiment to see which sports I was good at," he said. "Track and field was the one for me."

Seville said Bolt was a large part of his life.

The newly crowned champ is now coached by Glen Mills, who oversaw the magnificent career of the Jamaican legend, the 11-time world gold medallist and eight-time Olympic champion.

"We all watched Usain Bolt as kids!" Seville said. "I wanted coach Mills to be my coach. I said I hoped in the future he's my coach. And it's such a happy feeling knowing that is the one coaching me. He's a very intelligent man."

The retired Bolt still visits training sessions to talk to Mills and "sometimes he would talk to us. He understands everything about the sport," Seville said.

Bolt had advised him "to find something that motivates you".

"He said to me that his family was his motivation for sports... My family always wanted me to do great. So it's a pleasure: I'm trying to do my best to let everyone in my family happy. Since my father passed away, Usain's my motivator."

Seville had predicted that Jamaican male sprinters, including himself, Ackeem Blake and Thompson would one day battle back to rule the roost.

Before his triumph on Sunday, the last Jamaican to win a men’s sprint title was Bolt in 2015, so it was 10 years coming.

"We have a great level," Seville said ahead of the world championships. "We are under 25 years old. All of the US athletes are over 25 so in the future we are going to be on top again."