(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Seville and Jefferson-Wooden Crowned 100m World Champions in Tokyo
Tokyo: A historic night unfolded at the Japan National Stadium on Sunday as Jamaica’s Oblique Seville and the USA’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden sprinted to world titles in the men’s and women’s 100m finals, with sprint legend Usain Bolt watching from the stands.
🏃 Men’s 100m – Seville Makes History
At just 21 years old, Seville clocked a lightning-fast 9.77 seconds, a personal best, to capture gold and become the youngest 100m world champion. Jamaica secured a one-two finish with Ackeem Blake Thompson taking silver in 9.82, while American star and reigning champion Noah Lyles settled for bronze with a season-best 9.89.
“It was a good run because these two actually pushed me to run a personal best,” Seville said afterward. “To come out here and run a 9.77 is something amazing, and in Japan is where I made my debut; to get a medal here means so much.”
👟 Women’s 100m – Jefferson-Wooden Dominates
On the women’s side, Jefferson-Wooden capped her unbeaten season in style, winning gold with a championship record. Jamaica’s Tina Clayton surged to silver with a personal best of 10.76, while Olympic champion Julien Alfred claimed bronze in 10.84.
“This year has been nothing short of a dream,” said Jefferson-Wooden, 24. “To put on the perfect race at the perfect time, I’m just so happy and grateful.”
Clayton, competing in her first senior world championship, admitted she hadn’t expected a medal: “The goal was execution. Silver was not in my thoughts, but God did so, and I’m grateful.”
🌟 Other Highlights from Tokyo
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Team USA’s gold rush: Olympic champions Tara Davis-Woodhall (long jump) and Valarie Allman (discus) won their first world titles.
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Men’s 10,000m upset: France’s Jimmy Gressier sprinted past Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in the final meters to win gold, with Sweden’s Andreas Almgren taking bronze.
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Jakob Ingebrigtsen setback: The Norwegian star exited the 1500m heats due to injury but hinted at a comeback in the 5,000m — scheduled fittingly on his 25th birthday.
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Women’s 1500m drama: Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon qualified easily, Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu recovered from an early fall to advance, and veteran Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce secured a surprise spot in the 100m final after a strong semifinal run.
✅ Summary: Jamaica and the USA dominated the 100m finals in Tokyo, with Seville and Jefferson-Wooden making history on a night full of record-breaking performances and dramatic moments across track and field.
