Jamaica’s Oblique Seville leaves Noah Lyles trailing in Lausanne

LAUSANNE – Jamaican Oblique Seville has gained a lot of belief after leaving Olympic champion Noah Lyles trailing in his wake to win the Lausanne Diamond League 100m race on Aug 20.

Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, meanwhile, continued her impressive return to the track in the 800m.

Seville, 24, stormed to victory over Lyles in London in July, and it was almost a carbon-copy performance in Switzerland as the Jamaican roared out of the blocks and was never going to be caught, posting a blistering 9.87 seconds, despite the wet conditions.

“Running 9.87 in those conditions shows I can go much faster, anywhere in the world,” Seville said.

Heavy rain poured down at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise all evening, dispelling any thoughts of world records, but Cordell Tinch looked red hot in the men’s 110m hurdles and Nadine Visser was a surprise winner of the women’s race.

The men’s 100m was the final event, which ensured that the Swiss crowd braved the weather to the end, and all eyes were on Lyles as he continues his build-up to September’s world championships in Tokyo.

Lyles, who began his season in earnest only in July after an ankle injury, lost out to another Jamaican, Kishane Thompson, on Aug 16 in Silesia, and his poor start left him playing catch-up before a surging finish saw him snatch second spot from another Jamaican Ackeem Blake.

“I just had a horrible reaction to the gun. That was the only thing wrong,” Lyles said.

“Technically I felt good, my warmup was good, but once you miss the start at this level, the race is basically over. The goal is to sharpen the details, especially my drive phase and my start, heading to Tokyo and the world championships.”

Blake, 23, and Lyles, 28, both clocked 10.02sec, and Seville’s win will give him more confidence heading to Tokyo.

“That’s a good time. I’ve beaten the Olympic champion twice, in London and here, and that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the championships,” he added.

“It’s been a while since a Jamaican man has won the 100m at a global championship, and of course, I believe I can be the one to do it.”

Olympic champion Hodgkinson, 23, made a stunning return in Silesia in her first race since Paris last August, with a world-leading time dispelling any doubts over her world championships credentials after a season hampered by hamstring injuries.

The Briton backed that performance up with a comfortable win, in a meet record time of 1min 55.69sec, having made her move down the back straight and extending her lead in the final 100m.

Hodgkinson’s training partner Georgia Hunter Bell had to settle for third after she was caught before the line by Switzerland’s Audrey Werro.

American Tinch had a comfortable win in the hurdles coming home in 12.98sec, ahead of compatriot Jamal Britt (13.13). Tinch looks like the man to beat in Tokyo as he continues his impressive season having posted the fastest time in 2025 (12.87) in May.

“I felt great through the warmup, this is my kind of weather,” Tinch said.

Olympic champion Masai Russell had to settle for second in the women’s 100m hurdles, where Dutchwoman Visser hit the front early and never let up, with a winning time of 12.45sec, while world record holder Tobi Amusan trailed home in fifth.

“In the weather, it’s all about placing. The conditions spoke for themselves, but I’m happy to finish top three,” Russell, who clocked 12.53sec, said.

“Right now, the goal is to stay healthy and focus everything towards Tokyo.”

American Josh Hoey’s late burst helped him win the men’s 800m ahead of Kenyan Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Belgian Isaac Kimeli outpaced Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher to win the men’s 5,000m. REUTERS, AFP