World bronze medallist Oblique Seville expressed surprise after defeating Noah Lyles at the recently concluded Racer’s Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica.
Seville clocked an impressive world-leading and personal best time of 9.82 seconds to secure first place. Triple world champion Lyles finished second with a time of 9.85 seconds, while Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, completed the podium with a time of 10.02 seconds.
“I feel good. I’m a little surprised. It’s special to be able to run so fast without too much specific work. It shows that I can still do better,” Seville said.
The Jamaican youngster Oblique Seville is certainly poised for greatness, being coached by Glen Mills, the former mentor of Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world. Seville seems well-positioned to be considered Bolt’s heir.
He was running his first 100m race of the season at the Racer’s Grand Prix after victories in the 200m race at the Atlanta City Games and Velocity Fest 14, as well as a win in the 400m race at the Camperdown Classics in Jamaica.
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This race marked Noah Lyles’ first defeat of the season in the 100m, having been unbeaten with wins at the Tom Jones Memorial and the Bermuda Grand Prix.
Last season, Lyles claimed titles in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at the World Championships in Budapest, establishing himself as a major favorite for the Paris Olympics.
Competing on home soil, Seville faced considerable pressure to deliver and had to dig deep to secure the win. After the race, the 23-year-old expressed disbelief at his victory.
