Just last week, Oblique Seville entered the Prefontaine Classic as the reigning world 100m champion and the season’s fastest time after running 9.82 at the Jamaican Championships. However, the Jamaican suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of 21-year-old Auburn University NCAA star Kanyinsola Ajayi, who finished 0.05 seconds ahead of Seville. One week later, Seville came back at the Monaco Diamond League and reaffirmed his world championship status.

The Jamaican sprinter got his winning streak going again at the Diamond League in Monaco on July 10 when he won the men’s 100m event at Stade Louis II with a time of 9.88 seconds. He finished ahead of 2026 World Indoor 60m champion Jordan Anthony, who ran 9.92 while African champion Emmanuel Eseme took third in 10.00. German record holder Owen Ansah narrowly missed the podium in fourth with 10.01, while Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo finished fifth in 10.04.

The win extended Seville’s remarkable season. Across 10 races so far in 2026, the world champion has reached the podium every time. Speaking after his win in Monaco, Seville mentioned his primary goal, “My aim is always to win. I am just staying consistent, winning, and getting to the end of the season. My motive is to win every race I compete in. I will never underestimate athletes I am going against because everyone has class. But they also have to remember that I am the World Champion as well.”

He added: “The start wasn’t that great, but I still managed to finish well. What matters is winning. I love competing in Europe because last year I didn’t lose a race here. The aim is to be unbeatable.” Interestingly, Monaco was the opposite of what unfolded a week earlier in Eugene.

At the Prefontaine Classic, Seville had the better start and came out of the blocks first. However, NCAA standout Kanyinsola Ajayi began closing rapidly around the halfway mark before powering past the Jamaican in the final meters. Ajayi stopped the clock in 9.84, while Seville finished second in 9.89 and Christian Coleman took third in 9.95.

Despite the upset, Seville refused to view the result as a setback. “It wasn’t that bad. I don’t think that’s my best race because I might have executed a better race than the race I ran, but I’m glad that I am healthy,” he said in Eugene. But Seville’s biggest test may still be ahead of him.

Oblique Seville set to defend London title

The reigning world champion is next scheduled to compete in the men’s 100m at the Novuna London Athletics Meet on July 18. Oblique Seville will return as the defending champion after winning the event in 2025 with a time of 9.86, defeating Noah Lyles, Zharnel Hughes, and Letsile Tebogo.

While the official start list has yet to be released, London is expected to attract another world-class field that could include Olympic champion Noah Lyles, Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, and South African sprint star Akani Simbine. A potential showdown between Seville and Lyles would be particularly intriguing given the history between the two sprint stars.

The pair have faced each other multiple times in recent years. Seville defeated Lyles at the 2024 Racers Grand Prix in Kingston and later got the better of the American again at the 2025 London Diamond League. He followed that performance with another win over Lyles in Lausanne, clocking 9.87 while the American finished second.

But the competition has not always been favourable for Seville. Lyles played on the biggest stage of the Olympic sport at Paris 2024, securing a gold medal in the 100m in 9.784 seconds. Seville had a rough final and finished in eighth position with a time of 9.91. Their rivalry intensified at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

There, Jamaican won the world title with a personal best 9.77 with Kishane Thompson coming in second and Lyles third with 9.89. If they both line up in London, then the next episode in their growing rivalry might be one of the biggest sprint races of the season!