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Jamaica’s Oblique Seville delivered another sensational statement at the Silesia Wanda Diamond League, storming to victory in a breathtaking men’s 100 metres and setting a new meeting record of 9.83 seconds that made sprinting history in Chorzów, Poland.

In one of the deepest and most extraordinary sprint races ever witnessed, Seville powered clear of a world-class field to take the win, with Kenneth Bednarek of the United States finishing second in 9.87 and fellow American Christian Coleman completing the podium in 9.93.

But Seville’s meeting-record victory was only one part of the remarkable story. For the first time in history, all nine athletes in a single men's 100m race broke the 10-second barrier, producing an unprecedented display of sprinting depth.

The historic race also marked only the second time that every athlete in a men's 100m final had broken 10 seconds, following the eight-man final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In Silesia, however, the achievement went even further, with an entire nine-man field dipping below the iconic barrier.

Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi produced another impressive performance to finish fourth in 9.94, while South Africa’s Gift Leotlela followed in fifth with 9.95. Canada’s Olympic champion Andre De Grasse clocked 9.96 in sixth, with South African star Akani Simbine recording the same time in seventh.

American Ronnie Baker added another sub-10-second performance with 9.97 for eighth place, while Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme ensured the historic sweep was complete by running 9.99 in ninth.

Men's 100m Results – Silesia Wanda Diamond League

1. Oblique Seville (Jamaica) — 9.83 Meeting Record

2. Kenneth Bednarek (United States) — 9.87

3. Christian Coleman (United States) — 9.93

4. Kayinsola Ajayi (Nigeria) — 9.94

5. Gift Leotlela (South Africa) — 9.95

6. Andre De Grasse (Canada) — 9.96

7. Akani Simbine (South Africa) — 9.96

8. Ronnie Baker (United States) — 9.97

9. Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon) — 9.99

For Seville, the victory was another emphatic demonstration of his exceptional form and his ability to rise to the occasion against the strongest opposition. His 9.83 not only secured the Diamond League win but also lowered the Silesia meeting record, putting an exclamation mark on a performance of the highest quality.

Nine men went under 10 seconds. Seville went under 9.84. On an unforgettable day in Silesia, the Jamaican stood tallest in a race that pushed the boundaries of what men's sprinting has ever seen.

Jamaica is back—and in a big way. With just weeks until the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025, the top three times in the men’s 100 meters all belong to Jamaican sprinters:

Kishane Thompson – 9.75

Bryan Levell – 9.82

Oblique Seville – 9.83

It’s a stunning sweep that echoes the glory days of Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, and Yohan Blake. Once again, Jamaica is asserting sprinting dominance on the global stage.

But the Americans aren’t backing down.

 The U.S. Response

Christian Coleman, the 2019 World Champion and indoor world record holder, remains a serious contender. While he hasn’t cracked the 9.80 mark this season, his raw speed and big-meet experience can’t be ignored.

Then there’s Noah Lyles, the reigning 100m world champion from 2023. Lyles opened 2025 focused more on the 200m and Olympic buildup, but he’s expected to peak at the right time. He holds a personal best of 9.83, and if he gets the start right, he can be deadly in the final 30 meters.

Fred Kerley and Trayvon Bromell are also in the mix, both capable of sub-9.90 performances when healthy and locked in. Their challenge now is to stay consistent as the season progresses.

The Rivalry is Back

Tokyo 2025 could deliver one of the most thrilling 100-meter finals in recent memory:

• Three Jamaicans in peak form.

• Four Americans with world-class credentials.

• African stars like Omanyala and Tebogo chasing their first world title.

It’s a global showdown that brings back the tension and electricity of the Bolt-Gatlin era—only this time, the Jamaicans aren’t chasing; they’re being chased.

As World Athletics put it: “JAMAICA TO THE WORLD” — but America might have something to say about that.

As Season 2 of the Netflix track and field series SPRINT premiered on Wednesday, one of the star athletes featured, Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, has already voiced his disappointment. The 21-year-old sprinter was frustrated with what he saw as an American bias in the docuseries, which follows the world’s top sprinters and their journey to the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Tebogo, who made history for Botswana by winning two medals at the Olympics—one of them being the nation’s first-ever gold—doesn’t appear until 22 minutes into the final episode. The series had promised to feature Tebogo, alongside notable Olympians such as Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas, Fred Kerley, Kishane Thompson, Julien Alfred, Kenny Bednarek, Shericka Jackson and Oblique Seville. However, Tebogo felt the focus skewed heavily toward the four American athletes, particularly Lyles.

Tebogo took to X to share his disappointment, sharing he was excited to watch but felt the show was overly focused on American athletes, with him portrayed more as a supporting character to the American sprinters.

His sentiments echo those of Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith, Africa’s 100m record holder from Ivory Coast, who also criticized the Box To Box producers earlier this year after SPRINT Season 1 excluded her from the final cut, despite extensive filming. “I feel really disrespected, because when you say you are going to produce a series about the fastest sprinters in the world, you should show everyone, not only those who win,” Ta Lou-Smith shared with The Inside Lane. She highlighted the need for equal representation, noting, “I am the African record holder; I deserve respect.”

The documentary series is produced by Paul Martin at Box to Box Films, the same production company behind other Netflix successes such as Full Swing and Formula 1: Drive to Survive. On social media, track fans have begun calling on the producers at Box-To-Box Films to consider a more international approach in future seasons, noting that they seemed to have disregarded the American bias from Season 1.

Streaming platform Netflix has finally premiered the docuseries Sprint, following the Olympic journey of renowned athletes including Olympic champion Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas and other Olympic headliners.

Streaming platform Netflix has recently premiered the highly anticipated docuseries SPRINT, a gripping two-part docuseries that offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the lives of world-class sprinters in the build up to recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics.

For fans and sports enthusiasts, Sprint delivers a raw, intimate perspective on the rigorous training and dedication it takes to excel on the global stage.

Part 1 of the series, which debuted on July 2, introduced viewers to several of the world’s most promising sprinters as they navigated the intense preparation leading up to the 2023 World Championships.

Part 2, premiered on Wednesday, November 13, bringing the athletes’ journeys full circle.

The series captures not just the physical demands of the sport but also the emotional highs and lows, from moments of triumph to the mental hurdles of competing at an elite level.

Through personal stories and unprecedented access to training routines, this latest installment allows viewers to experience the high-stakes moments that define these sprinters’ lives.

The docuseries showcases an impressive lineup of athletes, featuring Olympians like Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas, Fred Kerley, Kishane Thompson, Julien Alfred, Letsile Tebogo, Kenny Bednarek, Shericka Jackson and Oblique Seville, among others.

With an element of rivalry between some of the top athletes showcased, there sure is mouth-watering drama worth tuning into.

The series features four episodes with an average watch time of about 48 minutes each.

Lyles was pushed to another personal best by Jamaican Kishane Thompson, who took silver in a photo finish.

The men’s 100m final was a race for the ages on Sunday as the double world champion, Team USA’s Noah Lyles, took the gold medal in a blazing 9.79 seconds, but it was not without a nail-biting photo finish. Lyles was pushed to run the fastest time of his career by Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, the fastest man in the world over 100m this year, who also ran 9.79 and was awarded the silver medal. Fred Kerley of the U.S. took the bronze medal in a season’s best 9.81 seconds.

Akane Simbine of South Africa was fourth with a new national record of 9.82, leaving the defending Olympic champion, Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy, languishing in fifth place, with 9.85. Canada’s Andre De Grasse, the two-time Olympic bronze medallist, did not make the final, finishing fifth in his heat of the semi-final earlier on Sunday.

Men’s 100m final results

Noah Lyles (USA) 9.79 PB

Kishane Thompson (Jamaica) 9.79

Fred Kerley (USA) 9.81 SB

Akani Simbine (South Africa) 9.82 NR

Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy) 9.85 SB

Letsile Tebogo (Botswana) 9.86 NR

Kenny Bednarek (USA) 9.88

Oblique Seville (Jamaica) 9.91

Lyles took his personal best down another two hundredths of a second in the race, having just run 9.81 at the London Diamond League on July 20.

Lyles’s coach, Lance Brauman, said he predicted Lyles would run a PB in the final: “I know his fitness level, and I was pretty confident he was going to run a PB, I have for the past three weeks. It was just a matter of, was he going to run a big enough PB to win the race?” 

The American said earlier this summer that his goal is to earn four medals at the Paris Games, i.e., the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and the 4x400m relay. Time will tell whether he can make good on his goal; the men’s 200m heats are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 6, with the 4x100m relay heats going on Thursday, Aug. 8, and the 4x400m on Friday, Aug. 9.

Athletics events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are taking place from Aug. 1-11. Today’s coverage is brought to you by Canadian Running and PUMA Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.

The Canadian men's 100m record holder is a huge Olympic fan

Like most Canadian track and field fans, 1996 Olympic champion and former 100m world record holder Donovan Bailey is eagerly awaiting the start of athletics at the Paris Olympics (the sprint events begin Friday). With a deep roster of Canadian athletes making their Olympic debuts or returning for another Games, Bailey has high hopes for breakthrough performances and trips to the podium, and he shared his top picks for the sprint events with us.

The Canadian 100m record holder has bumped watching the Olympics to the very top of his to-do list. Since sprinting runs in his blood, it’s no surprise he’s excited to watch the Canadian men’s and women’s 100m and 4x100m relay performances; he also looks forward to cheering on 2023 world champion Marco Arop as he aims to upgrade his 800m semi-final finish at Tokyo 2020 with a trip to the podium in Paris.

Men’s 100m predictions

The 100m prodigy isn’t certain where he should place his bets for who will take gold in the men’s 100m. He believes the two Jamaicans, Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville, should be favored, along with the reigning world champion, Noah Lyles. But Bailey suggests not overlooking Team USA’s Fred Kerley and the three Africans (Letsile Tebogo, Akani Simbine and Fernidand Omanyala).

“The match-up is going to be fierce,” Bailey says. Of course, we can expect him to be cheering the loudest for Canada’s Andre De Grasse, Duan Asemota and Aaron Brown.

Women’s 100m favorites

On the women’s side, he agrees that Sha’Carri Richardson is the obvious favorite, on paper. “My sentimental favorite would be Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce,” Bailey says. “She’s one of the greatest female sprinters, and one of the greatest ambassadors for our sport. It’s her last Olympics, so it would be great to see her win.”

Bailey expressed the most excitement for Quebec’s Audrey Leduc, even though she will likely have to run two personal bests to get through the 100m rounds. He believes the 25-year-old is still untested, and will face less pressure in Paris than she did at the Canadian Olympic Trials in June.

“She made running fast look so effortless.” Bailey says. “I think she’ll break the Canadian record, and if she puts herself in a good situation, maybe she’ll make the final and shock a lot of people. I think she’s going to do amazing.”

We are just four days away from the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics and a little over a week from the start of the athletics events at the Stade de France. If you’re looking to place your bets for gold or want to know the favorites for each event (according to Vegas sportsbooks), we’ve got you covered with insights and odds to help you get the best value out of your picks.

Men’s 100m

Favorite: Kishane Thompson (JAM) -105 [world leader]

Best value: Oblique Seville (JAM) +900 

Men’s 200m

Favorite: Noah Lyles (USA) -290 [3x world champion]

Best value: Erriyon Knighton (USA) +1000 [2x world championship medallist]

Men’s 400m

Favorite: Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) +120 [world silver medalist]

Best value: Steven Gardiner (BAH) +350 [reigning Olympic champion]

Men’s 800m

Favorite: Djamel Sedjati (ALG) -250 [world leader]

Best value: Marco Arop (CAN) +1500 [reigning world champion]

Men’s 1,500m

Favorite: Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) -225 [reigning Olympic champion]

Best value: Josh Kerr (GBR) +175 [reigning world champion]

Men’s 5,000m

Favorite: Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) -290 [reigning world champion]

Best value: George Mills (GBR) +4000 

Men’s 10,000m

Favorite: Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) +120 [world record holder]

Best value: Berihu Aregawi (ETH) +600 

Men’s 110m hurdles

Favorite: Grant Holloway (USA) -500 [world leader and world champion]

Best value: Hansle Parchment (JAM) +1000 [reigning Olympic champion]

Men’s 400m hurdles

Favorite: Rai Benjamin (USA) +100 [world leader]

Best value: Alison Dos Santos (BRA) +300 [2022 world champion]

Men’s 3,000m steeplechase

Favorite: Lamecha Girma (ETH) -120

Best value: Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) +190

Men’s marathon

Favorite: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) -190 [reigning Olympic champion]

Best value: Benson Kipruto (KEN) +900 [2024 Tokyo Marathon champion]

Women’s 100m

Favorite: Sha’Carri Richardson (USA) -225 [reigning world champion]

Best value: Julien Alfred (LCA) +700 

Women’s 200m

Favorite: Gabby Thomas (USA) +105 [2020 Olympic bronze medalist]

Best value: Shericka Jackson (JAM) +180 [reigning world champion

Women’s 400m

Favorite: Marileidy Paulino (DOM) -135 [2020 Olympic silver medalist]

Best value: Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL) +700 

Women’s 800m

Favorite: Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) -290 [Olympic silver medallist]

Best value: Nia Atkins (USA) +1500

Women’s 1,500m

Favorite: Faith Kipyegon (KEN) -285 [world record holder]

Best value: Jessica Hull (AUS) +1000

Women’s 5,000m

Favorite: Faith Kipyegon (KEN) -285 [world champion]

Best value: Beatrice Chebet (KEN) +750 [world XC champion]

Women’s 10,000m

Favorite: Sifan Hassan (NED) +120 [reigning Olympic champion]

Best value: Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) +250 [reigning world champion]

Women’s 100m hurdles

Favorite: Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA) +250 [European champion]

Best value: Tobi Amusan (NGR) +1500 [world record holder]

Women’s 400m hurdles

Favorite: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) -700 [world record holder and reigning Olympic champion]

Best value: Femke Bol (NED) +300 [reigning world champion]

Women’s 3,000m steeplechase

Favorite: Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) n/a [world record holder]

Best value: Sembo Almayew (ETH) n/a

Women’s marathon

Favorite: Tigst Assefa (ETH) +250 [world record holder]

Best value: Hellen Obiri (KEN) +400 [2023 & 2024 Boston Marathon champion] 

Team USA are big favorites to top the Olympics medal standings in track and field yet again and here are five races where the Americans will likely grab gold in Paris.

US Track and Field finally unveiled its team to the Paris Olympics where they hope to finish top of the medal standings yet again.

Team USA scooped seven gold, 12 silver and seven bronze medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, taking their total medal tally from track and field to 26.

Heading into Paris 2024, there is optimism that they will increase their tally following the emergence of new runners, added to the star quality in the team.

The US team is comprised of world champions Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Grant Holloway among others while there are some like Kenny Bednarek who look in good form heading to Paris.

Pulse Sports looks at where Team USA is likely to win gold medals from on the track at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Men’s 100m

The USA men’s team has world champion Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and former world champion Fred Kerley.

Of the three, Lyles is hot favorite for gold in Paris and laid down the marker with his dominant performance at the Olympics trials.

He will likely face stiff competition from Jamaicans Kishane Thomas and Oblique Seville as well as Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, Bednarek and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. However, his experience and form suggest he will bag gold.

Women’s 100m

Another American tipped to win gold is world 100m champion Sha’carri Richardson.

Richardson’s bid for a double failed at the trials when she did not make the 200m team and will have all her focus on the 100m race.

That is not good news for her rivals, who include Jamaicans Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

She is joined by Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry on the US team but with defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah not in Paris, few of the other rivals pose real danger, making Richardson a shoo-in for gold.

Men’s 200m

Winning gold in the men’s 200m will be tough for the Americans but they have two good runners capable of achieving it.

Noah Lyles, who has won three world titles over the distance, appears favorite but Kenny Bednarek could just spoil his party which would still be a good thing for Team USA.

The two are joined by Erriyon Knighton but face a threat from Canadian Andre De Grasse, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Briton Zharnel Hughes.

However, it is America’s race to lose and it will depend on how Lyles and Bednarek execute their strategy.

Men's 110m hurdles

Triple world champion Grant Holloway is joined on the US team by Freddie Crittenden and Daniel Roberts but he is the man likely to win gold at the Olympics.

Holloway does not dominate outdoors as he does indoors but he is in great form as he heads to Paris having won all his races this year, including last week’s Monaco Diamond League.

Jamaican Hansle Parchment will want to defend his title while home favorite Sasha Zhoya will also pose a threat but Holloway is backed to improve on his silver medal of 2020 this time.

Women’s 400m hurdles

World record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will start as favorite despite world champion Femke Bol’s good form that saw her break the European record on Sunday.

She made her intensions clear at the Olympics trials when she broke her own world record again, clocking 50.65. Anna Cockrell and Jasmine Jones finished second and third to join her.

McLaughlin-Levrone is not only in good form but also in great shape to defend her crown and few will get close to her in the present condition.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Hansle Parchment are among the global champions who feature on Jamaica’s team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Fraser-Pryce claimed 100m titles at both the 2008 and 2012 Games and secured 100m silver in Tokyo. Jackson, a two-time world 200m champion, claimed 100m bronze behind Fraser-Pryce in Tokyo and in Paris she is entered for both the 100m and 200m.

Parchment will defend his 110m hurdles title, while Kishane Thompson, who won the national 100m title in 9.77, will contest that sprint event.

World U20 champion Jaydon Hibbert is entered for the triple jump and Danniel Thomas-Dodd, the 2019 world silver medallist, is confirmed for the shot put.

Jamaican team for Paris

WOMEN

100m: Tia Clayton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson

200m: Niesha Burgher, Shericka Jackson, Lanae-Tava Thomas

400m: Junelle Bromfield, Nickisha Pryce,  Stacey Ann Williams

800m: Natoya Goule-Toppin, Adelle Tracey

1500m: Adelle Tracey

100m hurdles: Janeek Brown, Ackera Nugent, Danielle Williams

400m hurdles: Rushell Clayton, Janieve Russell, Shiann Salmon

High jump: Lamara DistinLong jump: Chanice Porter, Ackelia Smith

Triple jump: Shanieka Ricketts, Ackelia Smith, Kimberly Williams

Shot put: Lloydricka Cameron, Danniel Thomas-Dodd

Discus: Samantha HallHammer: Nayoka Clunis

4x100m: Tia Clayton, Shashalee Forbes, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson

4x400m: Junelle Bromfield, Stephenie Ann McPherson, Nickisha Pryce, Stacey Ann Williams

MEN

100m: Ackeem Blake, Oblique Seville, Kishane Thompson

200m: Andrew Hudson, Bryan Levell

400m: Sean Bailey, Jevaughn Powell, Deandre Watkin

800m: Navasky Anderson

110m hurdles: Orlando Bennett, Rasheed Broadbell, Hansle Parchment

400m hurdles: Roshawn Clarke, Jaheel Hyde, Malik James-King

High jump: Romaine Beckford

Long jump: Tajay Gayle, Carey McLeod, Wayne Pinnock

Triple jump: Jaydon Hibbert, Jordan Scott

Shot put: Rajindra Campbell

Discus: Ralford Mullings, Traves Smikle, Roje Stona

4x100m: Ackeem Blake, Jehlani Gordon, Oblique Seville, Kishane Thompson

MIXED

4x400m: Zandrian Barnes, Raheem Hayles, Andrenette Knight, Ashley Williams

Rudisha has already spotted some of his favorite athletes who he believes are the future of the track.

World 800m record holder David Rudisha is currently in Budapest for the World Championships, this time around not as an athlete but as an ambassador.

So far in his stay there, the two-time Olympic 800m champion has already spotted some of his favorite athletes who he believes are the future of the track.

Speaking to Citius Mag, Rudisha disclosed that Botswana’s wonder kid Letsile Tebogo and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville. Tebogo on Sunday night, August 20 made history to become the first African to win a medal in the 100m at the World Championships.

In the men’s 100m final, Seville finished fourth behind Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes. World 200m champion Noah Lyles reigned supreme in the race. Apart from finishing fourth in the final, Seville also equaled his Personal Best time of 9.86 during the Heats of the event.

“We have very strong young athletes who are taking over the stage…every day is full of surprises. Letsile Tebogo was just coming from the junior category and he is doing so well at the moment.

We also have Seville from Jamaica who is very impressive. He has run fast times here and I’m impressed. These ones are now the future of the sport,” Rudisha said.

He added that it is also amazing to see Africa doing well in the sprints and he singled out Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala.

Even though he failed to impress at the World Championships after finishing seventh, Rudisha lauded him for placing Kenya on the world map.

“He is really doing well and these are some of the athletes we admire since they are the future,” Rudisha said.

Sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, the defending champions at 100m and 200m respectively, feature on Jamaica’s team for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 on August 19-27.

The duo filled the top two places in the 100m and 200m in Oregon last year, with Jackson taking silver in the 100m and Fraser-Pryce finishing runner-up in the 200m. Fraser-Pryce, who has competed sparingly this season due to a slight injury earlier in the year, will be vying for a historic sixth world 100m title.

World leader Rasheed Broadbell and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment have both been named in the men’s 110m hurdles, while world leader and world U20 record-holder Jaydon Hibbert will contest the triple jump.

Jamaican team for Budapest

WOMEN

100m: Shashalee Forbes, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson

200m: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Natalliah Whyte

400m: Candice McLeod, Nickisha Pryce, Charokee Young

800m: Natoya Goule-Toppin, Adelle Tracey1500m: Adelle Tracey

100m hurdles: Ackera Nugent, Megan Tapper, Danielle Williams

400m hurdles: Rushell Clayton, Andrenette Knight, Janieve Russell

High jump: Lamara Distin, Kimberly Williamson

Long jump: Tissana Hickling, Ackelia Smith

Triple jump: Shanieka Ricketts, Ackelia Smith, Kimberly Williams

Shot put: Danniel Thomas-Dodd

Discus: Samantha Hall

Hammer: Nyoka Clunis

4x100m: Shashalee Forbes, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Natasha Morrison, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Natalliah Whyte, Briana Williams

4x400m: Candice McLeod, Nickisha Pryce, Janieve Russell, Ronda Whyte, Shiann Salmon, Charokee Young

MEN

100m: Ryiem Ford, Oblique Seville, Rohan Watson

200m: Rasheed Dwyer, Andrew Hudson

400m: Sean Bailey, Zandrion Barnes, Antonio Watson

800m: Navasky Anderson

110m hurdles: Orlando Bennett, Rasheed Broadbell, Hansle Parchment

400m hurdles: Roshawn Clarke, Jaheel Hyde, Assinie Wilson

High jump: Romaine Beckford

Long jump: Tajay Gayle, Carey McLeod, Wayne PinnockTriple jump: Jaydon Hibbert

Shot put: Rajindra Campbell

Discus: Fedrick Dacres, Traves Smikle, Roje Stona

4x100m: Ackeem Blake, Michael Campbell, Ryiem Ford, Oblique Seville, Tyquendo Tracey

4x400m: Sean Bailey, Zandrion Barnes, Demish Gaye, Malik James-King, Jevaughn Powell, Antonio Watson

Mixed 4x400m: D’Andre Anderson, Rusheen McDonald, Joanne Reid, Stacy-Ann Williams.

The fastest man in history, Usain Bolt, who dominated men’s sprinting for nearly a decade, has expressed interest in reviving the sport that brought him worldwide fame.

In an interview with Reuters, the 36-year-old Jamaican sprinter revealed he has aspirations to make a significant impact in track and field, highlighting a need for charismatic personalities to inspire and bring back the sport’s glory. He disclosed he has reached out to World Athletics on multiple occasions, expressing his willingness to make a larger impact in the sport if given the opportunity. Bolt said the discussions are ongoing, but he eagerly awaits a position where he can actively contribute to the growth and development of the sport.

Bolt acknowledged that the sport experienced a slight decline after his departure. However, he sees promising signs in young athletes like U.S. sprinter and 200m world champion Noah Lyles. “Lyles has the charisma and big personality required to engage and captivate audiences,” said Bolt to Reuters. He believes emerging personalities (like Lyles) will help fill the charisma gap, leading to a resurgence of interest in track and field.

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist also reflected on the lack of popularity of the sport in the U.S. and on the disappointing crowd turnouts at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Ore. “Sometimes it’s all about where it is, America is not the biggest track and field place,” he said. But he anticipates that the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics will be a significant moment for the sport, citing its accessibility, historical presence and talented athletes as contributing factors.

While Jamaica’s men’s team has struggled to replicate its success since Bolt’s departure, the 100m world record holder also sees a resurgence in the nation’s sprinting program in young sprinters Oblique Seville, who finished fourth in the 100m at the 2022 World Championships last year, and Ackeem Blake, who ran a personal best of 9.89 seconds at the L.A. Grand Prix last weekend.

“Hopefully, these two will motivate other youngsters to step up and want to train harder and dedicate themselves,” Bolt said.