In a memorable finale to the Racers Grand Prix, Oblique Seville emerged victorious in the 100m, clocking a world-leading 9.82 seconds (0.9m/s) at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event in Kingston on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Jamaican, competing in his first 100m race of the year, outperformed a formidable field, including world champion Noah Lyles, Great Britain’s bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, and African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala.
“My coach and I have been working on execution throughout the month, and tonight, the work that I put in has paid off,” Seville said. “It is a tremendous feeling as last year I didn’t compete due to injuries. This year, I’m happy to get a personal best and win in front of my Jamaican fans.”
Despite his pre-race confidence, Lyles had to settle for second place, clocking 9.85 seconds, equalling his second-fastest time ever. Omanyala finished third with a time of 10.02 seconds. This race marked Lyles’s first legal sub-10 clocking of the season and his first loss over 100m this year. “I was satisfied with the performance but disappointed with the starter,” Lyles commented. “Half of us were not even set when the gun went. Overall, the race was great; I came out here and ran exactly what I thought I would run, which is anywhere faster than 9.88.”
Equalling the meeting record
In the women’s 100m, world indoor 60m champion Julian Alfred of Saint Lucia secured victory with a lifetime best of 10.78 seconds (1.3m/s), equalling the meeting record and breaking her own national record. “I felt good about my execution,” Alfred noted. “I did not panic; I stayed relaxed and didn’t fight to the line, so that was better compared to last week in Eugene.”
Krystal Sloley continued her impressive form, finishing second with a personal best of 10.99 seconds, making her the second Jamaican woman to dip under 11 seconds this season.
In the field events, World U20 record-holder Jaydon Hibbert showcased his talent in the triple jump, recording a world-leading 17.75m in the fourth round. This leap surpassed his ratified World U20 record of 17.54m and is the second-best jump of his career. “I was satisfied with the third and fourth jumps of the series,” Hibbert said. “I feel splendid. I wanted to jump 17.70m, so 17.75m is a bonus.”
World indoor 60m hurdles champion Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas won the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.64 seconds, edging out Jamaicans Yanique Thompson (12.66) and Amoi Brown (12.73). In the men’s 110m hurdles, 2022 world silver medallist Trey Cunningham won with a season’s best of 13.12 seconds.
The men’s 200m title
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards captured the men’s 200m title with a season’s best 20.13 seconds, overtaking NCAA champion Udodi Onwuzurike in the home straight. “I haven’t settled on an event yet,” Richards stated. “I am going to run both the 200m and 400m throughout the season and see whichever event is the best one closer to the Olympics.”
Lanae-Tava Thomas claimed victory in the women’s 200m with a lifetime best of 22.36 seconds, while Stacey-Ann Williams thrilled the home crowd by winning the women’s 400m in 50.86 seconds.
Nigeria’s Emmanuel Bamidele won the men’s 400m in 45.49 seconds, narrowly defeating Jamaican hurdles specialist Roshawn Clarke, who finished in 45.57 seconds.
Discus thrower Traves Smikle continued his dominant season with his seventh win from eight starts, recording a distance of 65.65m.
