“I have a bye for the US trials which makes it less stressful because it gives us the time to work on the races,” Noah Lyles said earlier this week. The Olympic champ even added, “It gives us time to see what works and what doesn’t and to be able to make moves from there.” On Saturday in London, however, Oblique Seville made the only move that mattered, blowing past the reigning Olympic champion with the kind of precision that made Lyles’ opening 100m of 2025 feel more like a reminder than a return.
The Jamaican sprinter had already done what no one else managed in 2024, beating Lyles in the 100 meters. That happened in Kingston back in June, when Seville clocked a blistering 9.82 seconds at the Racers Grand Prix, a mark that stood as the world lead into the Paris Games. In London, he returned with the same intent, and this time, on a global stage, confirmed that Kingston was no fluke. Seville burst out of the blocks and never yielded, crossing the finish in 9.86 seconds. Lyles, unable to close the gap despite a clean drive phase, followed in 10.00.
This was Lyles’ first 100m race since winning gold in Paris. It was billed as a clash between the Olympic champions of the 100 and 200 meters, Lyles and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. But when the gun sounded at the London Stadium, site of the 2012 Olympic Games, it was Seville who seized the spotlight. He surged ahead by the 40-meter mark and had enough daylight to gesture with his left index finger before hitting the tape. Tebogo finished a distant seventh in 10.12.
Seville, who trains under Usain Bolt’s former coach Glen Mills, called the performance “phenomenal.” Speaking to the Diamond League media, he said, “I am proud of how I ran amongst a stacked field, and to win. I was the only one to run under 10 seconds today, it is something special and phenomenal heading into a major championship later this year.”
9.86s!!
Oblique Seville beats Noah Lyles in his Diamond League debut in London, clocking a time of 9.86s (-0.6) to win!
Lyles was 2nd in 10.00s, while Zharnel Hughes finished 3rd in 10.02s.
4. Ackeem Blake 10.04
5. Akani Simbine 10.11
6. Jeremiah Azu … pic.twitter.com/VJ1nYUtZUm
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) July 19, 2025
It is the second time in six weeks that Seville has gotten the better of Lyles, and the second time he has done so by executing a near-perfect race. For Lyles, who was returning from injury and banking on time to sharpen his form ahead of September’s World Championships in Tokyo, the message was clear: the road to gold in Japan will not run uncontested.
Oblique Seville’s performance in London was built on a rocket start, and one fan couldn’t hold back—“My eyes bulged when I saw how fast Seville got out of the blocks.” The shock wasn’t just emotional. Rather, it was technical. Seville was separated by 40 meters and had enough cushion to “celebrate at the end lol.” In a stacked race, that kind of confidence underscored why he’s the only man to drop Lyles twice in 100m since 2024. And the fan, too, had a lot to share on this race!
Fans are upset with Noah Lyles while gushing over Oblique Seville
The criticism from one Instagram user, “Poor start and poor finish for Noah. Oblique might be the new Usain”, reflected how comprehensively Lyles was outclassed. In Kingston, Seville ran a world-leading 9.82. In London, he followed it up with 9.86 against both Lyles and Tebogo. It’s not just the speed, it’s the timing, consistency, and Bolt-like separation that’s got fans asking if Seville is next in the Jamaican lineage.
One fan wrote, “What happens to Noah Lyles whenever he races Seville outside global finals.” Well, this wasn’t the first time that Noah was beaten by Oblique Seville. Back in 2024, at the Racers Grand Prix at Kingston, the Jamaican handed him a loss to become the only sprinter to have beaten the American across this distance since 2023.
Another netizen summed it up perfectly—“not the outcome I expected though.” Given that the reigning Olympic Champion Noah Lyles was in the mix, expectations were high. For Lyles, it was a return from injury and a season opener, but Seville’s total control over both parts of the race made second place feel like a mercy outcome rather than a close contest.
Jamaican sprinting pride was in full force, with one user posting,“Chase me if you can. These Jamaicans are just a different breed.” Seville, trained by Glen Mills, embodied that sentiment by winning under 10 seconds while the rest of the field, including Olympic gold medalists, faltered. London wasn’t just a race—it was a statement. Jamaican sprinters still know how to show up when it matters.
One brutally honest reaction, “What a sh– race from everyone besides Seville,” spoke to the visual reality. Another fan wrote, “10.00?… we know Noah didn’t run his best race.” While Seville surged and celebrated in 9.86, no one else broke 10 seconds. Not Lyles, not Tebogo, not Simbine. For a Diamond League headliner, it felt like a solo act. And in that solo act, Seville made clear that his edge over Lyles isn’t accidental—it’s executional.
“Beat em right off the start” was short but precise. Seville didn’t just win, he crushed the competition before they had a chance to respond. That opening phase set the tone and exposed everyone else’s delay, especially Lyles, who couldn’t recover despite his pedigree. Two head-to-head wins in six weeks. Seville’s not just in form, He’s in control.
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