Rain poured over the track at the Wanda Diamond League’s Athletissima Lausanne on Wednesday night, setting the stage for a dramatic 100m showdown. Noah Lyles believed the slick conditions might work in his favor, but standing in his lane was Oblique Seville, the same Jamaican who stunned him in London weeks ago.

History repeated itself as Seville blazed to a stunning 9.87, leaving the Olympic champion in his wake and handing him a third straight defeat. Lyles came in hell-bent on avenging his previous losses, including one to Kishane Thompson, but Seville shut the door early. Exploding out of the blocks, the Jamaican never relinquished control and crossed the line with authority.

“Running 9.87 in those conditions shows I can go much faster anywhere in the world,” Seville said after the race. “Beating the Olympic champion twice — in London and now here — gives me a lot of confidence heading into the championships.”

This season marks a redemption arc for Seville, who endured heartbreak at the Tokyo Olympics. Back in 2021, he suffered an agonizing disqualification for a false start in the men’s 100m semifinal, a crushing blow for a sprinter once hailed as Jamaica’s next big star after Bolt, Blake, and Powell. Today, he’s proving that faith was never misplaced.

“It’s been a while since a Jamaican male has won the 100m at a global championship, and I believe I can be the one to do it,” Seville declared. “My coach inspires me a lot — even the small tips make a big difference. Given the conditions, I just focused on executing my race. I’m proud of the time, and this is great preparation for the World Championships.”

With two back-to-back victories over the world champion, Seville has cemented himself as a genuine threat to Noah Lyles. But what does Lyles think about the defeat? Well, the champion is pretty disappointed.

Noah Lyles Is Not Happy With His Diamond League Performance

After starting this season late due to injury, Noah Lyles performed better at the USATF Championships. However, his performance has been going downhill since then. Talking to the media, Lyles sounded pretty disappointed, “I just had a really bad reaction to the gun after that. There’s not much I could do. And just because it’s bad conditions doesn’t mean that, you know, fast times can’t be run.”

There was frustration in his voice, but his mind was already racing ahead. He further added, “To be honest, there’s not much I could analyze, just ‘cuz it was just to be honest, a bad reaction after that. I was—I mean, I could go through the motions. I tried to get the, I guess, the most out of my top-end speed today while still not completely panicking.” When he was asked how much he liked the Diamond League this year, Lyles hardened his stance and stated, “Yeah, let’s move on.”

In the end, with Tokyo on the horizon, he is determined to defend his crown. “Zurich first. Then, the world,” he remarked confidently. He plans on retaining his world title, but witnessing his season, will he be able to get those titles back?