'Since my father passed away, Usain Bolt's my motivator': Jamaica's Oblique Seville reflects after 100m world gold

Jamaica’s Oblique Seville finally fulfilled his promise on Sunday, winning the men’s 100 metres title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, timing 9.77 seconds. The 24-year-old edged out renowned sprinters, including American Noah Lyles, the defending world and Olympic champion, and Jamaican teammate Kishane Thompson, to claim the gold.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!For Seville, the victory was the culmination of years of near misses. He had finished fourth at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships and made the semi-finals of the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics. Despite posting two Diamond League wins over Lyles this season, global glory had eluded him. “All the guys I competed with are very strong, so I have to maximise what I can do,” Seville reflected. He added that injuries had hampered his fitness in previous seasons, limiting his potential.Seville’s journey began in rural Jamaica, near Ness Castle, where poor roads did not prevent him from exploring sports. At Calabar High School, he played cricket and football and enjoyed swimming, but track and field ultimately became his focus. A huge influence on his career has been sprint legend Usain Bolt, whom Seville describes as “my motivator”. Bolt’s guidance has been invaluable, offering advice both on life and sprinting.Now coached by Glen Mills, Bolt’s former mentor, Seville said he felt privileged to be under Mills’ tutelage. “We all watched Usain Bolt as kids! I wanted coach Mills to be my coach… He’s a very intelligent man,” Seville said. Bolt still occasionally visits training sessions, offering insight and encouragement, particularly after the death of Seville’s father. “Since my father passed away, Usain’s my motivator,” he added.Seville also highlighted the bright future of Jamaican sprinting. Before his win, he had predicted a resurgence led by himself, Ackeem Blake, and Kishane Thompson. With Sunday’s triumph, Jamaica claimed its first men’s 100m world title in ten years, the last being Bolt in 2015. “We have a great level… All of the US athletes are over 25, so in the future we are going to be on top again,” Seville said.