Two new global 100m champions were crowned as America’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville claimed stunning breakthrough victories at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Jefferson-Wooden, 24, sealed gold in the women’s final in emphatic fashion, proving a class above her rivals in a championship record 10.61 seconds.
Less than 10 minutes later inside Japan’s electric National Stadium, Seville, also 24, ripped his vest in celebration after becoming the first Jamaican man to win a global 100m title since athletics icon Usain Bolt, who was watching here in the stands.
Winning in a personal best time of 9.77, Seville led a Jamaican one-two ahead of Kishane Thompson as American defending champion Noah Lyles was forced to settle for bronze.
Jamaica had already celebrated Tina Clayton’s silver in the women’s final, while St Lucia’s historic Olympic champion Julien Alfred took bronze and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith finished eighth.
Jefferson-Wooden storms to statement win
Fuelled by her desire to stand on the top of the podium after winning 100m bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Jefferson-Wooden arrived in Tokyo as favourite following a stellar season.
Jefferson-Wooden, who has enjoyed success as part of the USA’s 4x100m relay team, had run the fastest three times of 2025 and remained unbeaten over the distance.
She dispelled any suggestions that the subsequent increased expectations might weigh heavy as she cruised through the rounds, before producing a devastating, record-breaking final performance.
Not only did it deliver the gold she desired, but she hinted at where she might yet go from here by clocking the fourth fastest time in history. “It has been an amazing year. I have been dreaming of this moment,” said Jefferson-Wooden, who will also chase 200m and relay glory in Tokyo.
“Instead of putting the pressure on myself and taking it as something overwhelming, I was just embracing it.
“Today was all about me, about trusting my abilities, my coach, the line I have been given, and my faith. And just trusting that I was prepared for this moment.”
Jefferson-Wooden has reached the pinnacle seven years after she put her sporting ambitions on hold to save her dad’s life, stepping forward as a stem cell donor when he was diagnosed with a rare blood condition in 2018.
It remains to be seen how her small home city of Georgetown in South Carolina will mark this occasion, after a day was named in her honour following her Olympic achievements.
Just 0.01 seconds had separated the leading trio in the semi-finals – Kenny Bednarek, Thompson and Seville – with all eight qualifiers needing to run under 10 seconds to progress to the final.
While a staredown shared between Bednarek and Thompson as they crossed the line together in their semi increased excitement among the crowd, Seville raised a finger to his lips as he won the following heat.
Less than two hours later, as Bolt applauded, Seville silenced questions over his ability to handle the big occasions amid the wait for his long-anticipated golden moment.
“To win this gold medal is something special to me,” he said.
“Track and field is both mental and physical. But, to be honest, I think I have mastered the mental part of it.
“Other people are doing and talking about other things, but I just focus on me and that is why I managed to get this victory.”
As three-time Olympic 100m champion Bolt watched on, Seville at last delivered the crowning moment his talent has long promised.
Dethroned champion Lyles was never in contention for gold. Instead, it was compatriot Thompson, the fastest man in the world this year with a best of 9.75, who remained Seville’s biggest threat to the very end.
Seville was last in the fastest 100m race in history at last summer’s Games, and narrowly missed out on the podium at the previous World Championships in 2023 – but he was not to be denied this time.
Under the guidance of Bolt’s former coach, Glen Mills, Seville will hope this is just the start – as will his nation, with its sprinting prowess revived.
By BBC Sports
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