On a sodden night in Lausanne, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville proved once again that he is among the sport’s most dangerous sprinters.
Braving relentless rain and slippery conditions, the 23-year-old surged to victory in the men’s 100m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting on Wednesday, clocking 9.87 seconds to beat Olympic champion Noah Lyles for the second time in a month.
“It feels good to know the work is paying off,” Seville said after his emphatic performance. Just as he had in London weeks earlier, he kept his composure under pressure and powered away from the field to seal his second win of the season.
Lyles, still struggling to regain the dominance that carried him to Olympic gold, endured his third consecutive 100m defeat, finishing second in 10.02 seconds. He only narrowly edged Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, who ran strongly to the line but was forced to settle for third after a photo finish of 10.02 seconds finish as well.
The Jamaican presence did not end there. National champion Rohan Watson also lined up against the world’s best, testing his speed in the slick conditions, while Tajay Gayle and Carey McLeod showcased the island’s breadth of talent in the men’s long jump.
Jamaican leapers claim podium spots
In the men’s long jump, Uzbekistan’s Anvar Anvarov stole the headlines with a surprise victory at 7.84m, becoming the first man from his nation to win at a Diamond League event. But Jamaica still left its mark: former world champion Tajay Gayle soared to 7.71m for third place, while national champion Carey McLeod was close behind in fourth with 7.67m.
U.S. middle-distance redemption
The Americans struck gold in the men’s 800m, where Josh Hoey, the reigning world indoor champion, stunned the field with a decisive late surge. Exploding off the final bend, he clocked 1:42.82 minutes, toppling Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:43.29), Mohamed Attaoui of Spain (1:43.38), and Britain’s Max Burgin (1:43.44).
Hoey’s win was all the more remarkable given that he finished only fourth at the U.S. Trials, missing out on the World Championship team. A victory at next week’s Diamond League Final would now secure him a coveted wildcard berth for Tokyo.
Hodgkinson dominates women’s 800m
Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson continued her resurgence, backing up her world-leading 1:54.74 minutes in Silesia with another commanding performance. On a cold and rainy night, she controlled the race with poise, covering the first lap in 56.04 seconds before accelerating away over the final 200m to win in 1:55.69 minutes—a meeting record that had stood since 2002.
Home favorite Audrey Werro thrilled Swiss fans with a late surge into second place (1:57.34), just ahead of Australia’s Georgia Hunter Bell (1:57.55).
U.S. hurdlers sweep the men’s 110m
In the men’s 110m hurdles, held before the heaviest rain, the Americans were untouchable. World leader Cordell Tinch ran with near-perfect rhythm to win in 12.98 seconds, leading a U.S. podium sweep as Jamal Britt (13.13) and Trey Cunningham (13.19) followed him home.
The women’s 100m hurdles was more chaotic under the rain, but Caribbean and American athletes still featured. Dutch star Nadine Visser held on for victory in 12.45 seconds, edging Olympic champion Masai Russell of the U.S. (12.53) and Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji (12.54). Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, the national record holder, ran a strong race to finish fourth in 12.57 seconds, while national champion Megan Tapper placed seventh in 13.06 seconds.
American strength in the field
Despite the weather, U.S. athletes thrived in the throws. In the men’s shot put, two-time world champion Joe Kovacs snatched victory with a powerful fifth-round throw of 22.04m, overtaking Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri (21.77m). American Adrian Piperi joined him on the podium with third place at 21.49m.
The women’s 200m also belonged to the United States. Brittany Brown, who missed the U.S. Olympic team, rebounded with an emotional win in 22.23 seconds, holding off Nigeria’s Favour Ofili (22.31) and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (22.37).
Caribbean speed, American depth
From Seville’s dazzling 9.87-second sprint to U.S. sweeps in hurdles and throws, Lausanne underscored the growing rivalry and shared dominance of Caribbean sprinters and American all-around talent.
On a night when the rain silenced many world stars, it was athletes from the Caribbean and the United States who rose above the storm to seize the spotlight.
