In a jaw-dropping finale that shattered expectations and sparked a global firestorm, 24-year-old Jamaican phenom Oblique Seville didn’t just claim the men’s 100m gold at the 2025 World Athletics Championships on September 14 – he exploded onto the scene with a personal best 9.77 seconds, ripping his shirt to shreds in a primal roar of triumph that left rivals Kishane Thompson (silver, 9.82s) and Noah Lyles (bronze, 9.89s) in the dust. But as Usain Bolt leaped from his seat in ecstatic approval, the celebration ignited a vicious wave of online hate, branding Seville’s “overly passionate” outburst as “disrespectful” and “unsportsmanlike.” Underestimated as the dark horse all season, Seville’s savage clapback? It just nuked the critics into oblivion.
Picture this: Seville, the quiet underdog from Jamaica’s sprint factory, surges from third at 60 meters, unleashing a ferocious late charge under Tokyo’s sweltering lights. He crosses first, veins bulging, then tears his vest apart like a warrior claiming his kill – chest-beating, flag-waving, pure unfiltered glory. Bolt, the sprint GOAT watching courtside, punches the air in solidarity, hailing it as the dawn of Jamaica’s new era. Yet, within minutes, X (formerly Twitter) erupted: “Arrogant showboat stealing the spotlight,” fumed one viral troll. “Lyles deserved better – this kid’s ego is bigger than his win,” snarled another. Pundits piled on, calling it a “Bolt wannabe tantrum” that “dishonors the sport’s elegance.” The backlash trended #SevilleShirtGate, amassing millions of views overnight, with memes mocking his “Hulk smash” vibe as everything from “thuggish” to “attention-seeking trash.”
But here’s the shocker: Seville, fresh off dethroning the hyped-up Lyles – who entered as the Olympic kingpin but faltered amid injury woes – wasn’t phased. In a post-race presser that dropped jaws worldwide, he leaned into the mic with ice-cold fire: “Y’all called me a nobody, said I’d choke again like in Paris. Now I’m world champ, shirt ripped, and haters muted. This ain’t arrogance – it’s ownership. Jamaica’s back, and I’m just getting started. Cry about it.” The room went silent, then erupted in cheers. Bolt later tweeted: “That’s my boy – passion wins races AND wars.” Seville’s response? A mic-drop masterclass, turning venom into viral gold, with #SevilleSilences surging past the hate.
This isn’t just a win; it’s a revolution. Seville, who battled mid-season injuries and finished a heartbreaking fourth at the last two Worlds, has rewritten his script. His 9.77 not only ends USA’s four-year 100m stranglehold but signals Jamaica’s sprint resurgence post-Bolt. As he eyes the 200m semis on September 18 and Jamaica’s 4x100m relay redemption on the 21st, one thing’s clear: the shirt-tear wasn’t excess – it was a declaration. Critics? Buried under the rubble of their own doubt. Seville’s era? It’s here, raw, ripped, and unstoppable. Who’s next to get shredded?
Tune into Peacock or World Athletics for the chaos unfolding in Tokyo. Will Seville double up? Or will the backlash fuel a bigger blowup? Share your take – #ObliqueUnleashed!
