‘World’s fastest man’ Oblique Seville proudly shares heartfelt thanks from father and mentor Usain Bolt, who motivated him to win the 100m in Tokyo

In the sweltering heat of Tokyo’s National Stadium on September 14, 2025, a new chapter in Jamaican sprinting history unfolded under the glare of floodlights and the watchful eyes of legends. Oblique Seville, the unassuming 24-year-old from Kingston, exploded across the finish line in 9.77 seconds to claim the men’s 100m gold at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. It was a victory that silenced doubters, edged out his compatriot Kishane Thompson by a razor-thin margin, and left defending champion Noah Lyles in third. But beyond the electric times and the roar of the crowd, Seville’s triumph carried a deeper resonance—one rooted in personal loss, enduring mentorship, and the indelible influence of Usain Bolt, the man who redefined speed itself.

Seville’s path to this pinnacle has been anything but linear. Born on March 16, 2001, in Jamaica’s vibrant capital, he discovered his love for the track as a child racing through church grounds, his small frame buzzing with uncontainable energy. By age 10, his ambitions were already sky-high; he confided in his mother that he dreamed of training under Glen Mills, the legendary coach who had sculpted Bolt into an eight-time Olympic champion. That childhood wish came true when Seville joined the storied Racers Track Club, stepping into the same hallowed space where Bolt had honed his explosive starts and unyielding finishes. Under Mills’ guidance, Seville transformed from a promising junior into a force capable of challenging the world’s elite, blending raw power with a smoothness that Bolt himself would later praise.

Yet, for all his potential, Seville’s career had been marked by heartbreak and near-misses. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he advanced to the semi-finals but faltered just short of the final. In 2022 and 2023, he placed fourth at the World Championships, tasting the bitter edge of bronze that eluded him. The pinnacle of frustration came at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Seville clocked a blistering personal best of 9.81 seconds in the semi-finals—enough to top the field—but stumbled to eighth in the final, his body betraying him at the crucial moment. The weight of a nation’s expectations, as Jamaica searched for Bolt’s successor, pressed heavily. “People were talking me down,” Seville later reflected, his voice steady but laced with resolve. Even qualifying for Tokyo 25 was in jeopardy; during the Jamaican National Championships in June 2025, a twinge of discomfort nearly sidelined him. He pushed through to finish second, securing his spot by sheer grit.

Through these trials, two figures anchored Seville’s spirit: his late father and Usain Bolt. The elder Seville, a quiet pillar of support, instilled in his son the value of family as the ultimate motivator. “My family always wanted me to do great,” Oblique shared in a post-race interview, his eyes misting over the memory. But when his father passed away, a void opened—one that Bolt, the sprinting icon who retired in 2017, stepped in to fill. Seville has openly called Bolt his “motivator,” drawing inspiration from the legend’s stories of family-driven triumphs. Bolt, ever the mentor from afar, reciprocated with words that carried the weight of history. In an April 2025 podcast appearance, Bolt singled out Seville as one of the few sprinters with the tools to shatter his own world record of 9.58 seconds. “I feel like Oblique can do it,” Bolt said, highlighting his protégé’s acceleration, top-end speed, and untapped potential. “If he can stay fit and get it right, there’s something there—the ability to do it.”

As the Tokyo 25 final approached, the air hummed with anticipation. The field was a murderers’ row: Thompson, the Paris Olympic silver medalist who had dominated the season; Lyles, the brash American with back-to-back global titles; and Letsile Tebogo, the Botswana phenom fresh off a 200m Olympic gold. Tebogo’s false start disqualification and Kenny Bednarek’s sluggish launch thinned the herd, but Seville remained the dark horse. Seated in the stands, Bolt watched intently, his presence a silent benediction. When the gun cracked, Seville’s start was imperfect—a slight hesitation that echoed his Paris demons. But true to his training, he unleashed a ferocious closing surge, ripping past Thompson in the final strides. The Jamaican flag flew high as he tore open his jersey, pounding his chest in raw exultation. Jamaica’s first men’s 100m world title since Bolt’s 2015 triumph in Beijing was theirs once more.

In the euphoric aftermath, Seville sought out Bolt, the two embracing amid a sea of flashing cameras. The legend’s words, shared privately but later recounted by Seville with profound gratitude, struck to the core. “He told me how proud he was, like a father would,” Seville revealed, his voice thick with emotion. Bolt invoked the memory of Seville’s own dad, urging him to channel that paternal pride into fuel for the future. “Your father is smiling down on this,” Bolt reportedly said, reminding him that every stride honored not just Jamaica, but the unbreakable bonds of family and mentorship. For Seville, these weren’t empty platitudes; they were the heartbeat of his victory. “Since my father passed away, Usain’s my motivator,” he affirmed. “His family was his drive, and mine is too. This is for them—for everyone who’s believed.”

The win ripples far beyond personal redemption. It signals a renaissance for Jamaican men’s sprinting, with Seville, Thompson, and rising stars like Ackeem Blake forming a formidable core. Lyles, gracious in defeat, acknowledged the shift: “Jamaica’s back, and they’re hungry.” Bolt, too, beamed with vindication, tweeting post-race: “Oblique, you did it! Proud doesn’t cover it. Keep pushing those limits.” As Seville eyes the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond, his message is clear: the throne is occupied, but the legacy endures. In Tokyo, under Bolt’s gaze, the world’s fastest man didn’t just win a race—he reclaimed a dynasty, one heartfelt thank you at a time.