The rivalry that faded after Usain Bolt’s retirement in 2016 is picking up again. And Oblique Seville is right at the center of it, dragging Jamaica back to the front of the men’s 100m scene. On June 20, World Champion Seville ran 9.82 seconds (+0.6 m/s) to win his first national 100m title at the JAAA National Championships. But it was not just a win, but also the fastest time of the season, pushing him ahead of a stacked field that includes Noah Lyles and other American sprinters.

According to World Athletics rankings, Seville currently holds the number one spot in the men’s 100m list. Behind him at number two is Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi, who ran 9.84 in Lexington at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track Facility in May. At number three is Noah Lyles, who clocked 9.88 in Rome at the Stadio Olimpico on June 4. Close behind sits Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi with 9.89. But what about the rest?

Just below them are all American, Sam Blaskowski (9.89) in Tennessee, Courtney Lindsey (9.89) in Florida, and Max Thomas (9.90) in Gainesville, all posting strong times but still sitting outside the top spots on the list. But what stands out is how Jamaica has moved back into that familiar position at the front of the 100m world list.

The resurgence has not gone unnoticed within Jamaica’s sprint community. Following Jamaica’s breakthrough performances on the global stage, Kishane Thompson summed up the mood by saying, “It shows to me that, ‘hey, Jamaica is a powerhouse.’ We’ve got talent; we’ve got ammunition.” Seville echoed a similar sentiment when discussing the country’s coaching culture, saying, “We are just rewriting history.”

Seville’s rise is part of a much bigger story unfolding in Jamaica. Following Usain Bolt’s retirement, the country endured years without a men’s 100m medal at a major outdoor championship, while American stars such as Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley and Noah Lyles dominated the global scene.

But Jamaica’s leading sprint programs never stopped developing talent. Under legendary coach Glen Mills at Racers Track Club, Seville transformed from an injury-prone prospect into a world champion, while Stephen Francis’ MVP Track Club carefully managed Kishane Thompson’s development into one of the fastest men in history.

The results are now impossible to ignore. Thompson led the world with 9.75 last season, Seville captured the 2025 world title in 9.77, and Jamaica suddenly finds itself back at the center of men’s sprinting.

The shift becomes even clearer when looking at the world leaders of the past decade. American sprinters topped the annual rankings for most of the post-Bolt era, with names such as Christian Coleman, Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley and Noah Lyles regularly setting the pace. Since 2024, however, only two Jamaicans have occupied the world-leading spot: Kishane Thompson and now Seville. For a nation that spent years searching for Bolt’s successor, that is a significant statement.

Rankings tell only part of the story, though. Lyles remains the reigning Olympic champion and has repeatedly shown an ability to peak when medals are on the line. Seville may own the world lead, but championship racing has become the measuring stick of their rivalry, setting up another fascinating chapter whenever the two line up together again.

Noah Lyles and Oblique Seville keep trading wins

Noah Lyles and Oblique Seville have clashed on the track numerous times already. Seville was able to beat Lyles by 9.82 seconds, securing the victory at the 2024 Racers Grand Prix in Kingston. It wasn’t the same on the big stage, however. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Noah Lyles delivered under pressure, winning a 100m final in 9.784 seconds, edging Kishane Thompson by just 0.005 seconds. Seville, however, had a tough day in that final and finished 8th in 9.91 seconds.

Following that, Seville had a resurgence in the Diamond League season. He ran 9.86 to take down Lyles in London 2025, and then took the win again with 9.87 in Lausanne 2025, with Lyles in second place.

Their rivalry reached another level at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. After Seville advanced from the opening round in 9.93, Lyles took a verbal jab at his rival, saying, “That man was panicking in the back.” Seville responded on the track. In the final, he stormed to the world title in a personal-best 9.77, leading a Jamaican one-two finish alongside Kishane Thompson (9.82), while Lyles settled for bronze in 9.89.

The Tokyo result was significant beyond the medals. It marked Jamaica’s first men’s 100m world champion since the Bolt era and validated years of rebuilding by the country’s top sprint programs. For Seville, it also erased lingering doubts about whether he could translate raw speed into championship success after injuries and near-misses earlier in his career.

The rivalry remains finely balanced. Lyles owns the Olympic gold medal and has built a reputation for delivering when the stakes are highest. Seville, meanwhile, holds the world title, the world lead, and increasingly the momentum. For now, the rankings belong to Jamaica’s newest sprint king. Whether that translates into long-term supremacy over Lyles is a question that only the next championship final can answer.