He looked good. Maybe not perfect, but strong enough. Focused, controlled, and with that signature quiet confidence, as he stepped onto the track at the Adidas Atlanta City Games. But within seconds, that confidence turned to alarm. The Jamaican’s face tightened. His stride shifted. He wasn’t chasing the finish line anymore. This track and field star was surviving the run. And yet again Oblique Seville faced a shocking setback!

Just weeks ago, Oblique Seville had clawed his way back from the brutal groin injury that crushed his Olympic dreams in Paris. He had rehabbed tirelessly, hoping to stay injury-free in 2025 as he builds toward a shot at redemption. And now, barely back, it’s happened again. Seville pulled up during his 100m heat in Atlanta, visibly uncomfortable, and finished third in 10.53s in the prelims. Nowhere near his usual standard. He didn’t qualify for the final. The message was loud and clear: something’s still not right.

Indeed, Atlanta told a different story. A telling one. In a heat where Jaylen Slade(10.50s) barely edged him out and Akani Simbine(10.13s)  posted the fastest overall time, Seville’s performance was more than just underwhelming. It was worrying. It was less about speed and more about pain management. He didn’t just lose the race, he lost the comfort that comes with trusting your body. Although no definitive answer has been provided for what exactly went down with Seville, the writing is clearly on the wall. 

For Seville, this is deja vu in the worst possible way. In Paris, he was electric through the rounds, even clocking a blistering 9.81 in the semifinal. But fate dealt him a cruel hand when his not-quite-healed groin betrayed him in the last 20 meters of the Olympic final. He limped over the line in the eighth. Since then, Seville’s been chasing more than just medals. He’s chasing full recovery. Treated by the renowned Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, he believed he was ready. Seville thought the worst was behind him.

This latest setback raises a red flag ahead of the World Championships. How ready is Oblique Seville? Can he stay healthy long enough to become the threat everyone, including Usain Bolt, believes he can be? For a sprinter with the tools to challenge records and titles, time is not just ticking. It’s screaming. And with every race that ends like this, the pressure only grows. But despite all the negatives, Seville remains optimistic. After all, he does dream of inscribing his name into the top 5 all time greatest track athletes of all time!

Oblique Seville declared bold ambition months after Paris heroics

Oblique Seville wasn’t waiting for history to come to him. Rather, he vowed to race toward it. Fresh off a breakthrough 9.81-second performance at the Paris Olympics, the 23-year-old Jamaican is setting his sights not just on medals, but on immortality. “I know I can be in the top five fastest in the world of all time,” Seville told The Gleaner. That too with the conviction of a man who’s barely scratched the surface of his potential.

That self-belief is rooted in more than raw speed. Seville admits his physical development isn’t complete, and he’s yet to fully unlock the strength and technical precision that could take him from contender to legend. He further explained. “Running 9.81, knowing my body is not fully developed, shows I have a lot more to improve on, technically, strength-wise and the list goes on.” For Seville, Paris wasn’t a peak. It was just a glimpse of what could be.

But the journey to greatness has already thrown up its first hurdle. Just weeks after returning from injury, Seville suffered another setback at the Adidas Atlanta City Games. Yet for an athlete with eyes on the all-time list, adversity isn’t a stop sign. It’s fuel. Now, all eyes will be on whether the Jamaican can turn promise into permanence and step into sprinting’s most exclusive club.