TOKYO, Japan — Oblique Seville has lived on the edge of greatness for years, always close but not quite. However, on Sunday inside the Japan National Stadium, Seville stormed across the line and into history, blazing to a personal best 9.77 seconds to secure the gold medal in the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Right behind him was fellow Jamaican Kishane Thompson whose 9.82 seconds gave him the silver, giving Jamaica its first one-two finish in the event since the London 2012 Olympics when Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake formed a duopoly.

Bolt, the last Jamaican man to win global gold in the 100m before Seville’s triumph on Sunday, was an excited spectator in the stands, celebrating wildly as the world welcomed the return of Jamaica’s sprint dominance.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that I have proven myself to be a champion. Over the years I have shown that I am a contender for medals and now I have proved myself to the world, my fans, family and everyone,” Seville said.

“I actually knew that I was going to win. Other athletes were saying that I was panicking but I don’t know what they were talking about. I proved that I am a champion and I hope that they can see that Oblique Seville is a true competitor and a warrior. I don’t listen to the noise, I just keep composed and trust God,” he added.

Seville’s win also means that he has secured an invitation to the new World Athletics series — the Ultimate Challenge — in 2026 when World Champs, Diamond League and Olympic champions will compete against each other. Meanwhile, American Noah Lyles was third in 9.89 seconds.

Sunday proved to be a good day for Jamaica, with Tina Clayton winning the silver medal in the women’s 100m in a personal best of 10.76 to finish behind American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, 10.61, who won in a championship record run. Third place went to Olympic champion Julien Alfred in 10.84.

Shericka Jackson in 10.88, a season’s best, finished fourth, while Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was competing in her last individual race, ran sixth in 11.03 seconds.

Meanwhile, for Seville this was no overnight arrival. His rise has been littered with setbacks and near-misses — a narrative familiar to Jamaican fans who longed to see him break through after finals appearances at four major championships yielded no silverware. This year, he refused to be denied.

“Throughout the years that I have been performing it’s just that injuries have always been the thing that stops me. This year I have had some niggles here and there but I showed my dominance straight throughout this season and I told myself that, ‘This is my year and no one is going to take this moment, no one is going to take [this] away from me,’ ” he declared. “The difference is that I am healthy.”

Yesterday’s fireworks mean Jamaica will start Monday’s third day of the competition with three medals — 1 gold and two silver — and the chance to increase that tally comes with the women’s 100m hurdles semi-final and final scheduled for Monday.

All three athletes in the 100m hurdles successfully progressed to the semi-finals, with defending champion Danielle Williams, 12.40 seconds, and Ackera Nugent, 12.54, winning their respective semi-finals while debutante Amoi Brown, 12.82, also advanced after a third-place finish.

The semi-finals will take place 9:06 pm (7:06 am Jamaica time) with the final set for 10:20 pm (8:20 am).

Samantha Hall, 60.69m, was 12th in the discus final, landing the implement at 60.69m.

“It’s my first final, but even though I expected more for myself, I can’t beat myself up and I am still proud of myself,” said Hall, the first Jamaican woman to qualify for the final of the event.

Nayoka Clunis could not make it out of the qualifying round in the women’s hammer throw after registering a best effort of 68.24m, which she delivered on her second attempt.

Clunis fouled on her first throw and closed out the series with a 65.60m mark which placed her 12th in her qualifying group.

“It’s been a tough year with back-to-back injuries. I am finally healthy enough where I can complete four turns and not feel any pain so it’s kind of disappointing that I couldn’t produce a mark that I wanted — but I am happy with how I ended the season, though,” said Clunis, who highlighted her determination as a key takeaway from her experience in Tokyo.

“I competed well throughout the entire day today; I kept my composure and tried to be as happy as I could be, despite feeling tired. I am just happy despite not throwing as well as I wanted. I am happy that I was able to get three throws in — even though I fouled on my first, and got a 69m — which is a testament to how hard this season has been, seeing that my lower averages are coming up. So [I’m] disappointed but not mad at it,” Clunis added.

The heats of the men’s 400m hurdle

From left: Oblique Seville of Jamaica, Kenneth Bednarek of the United States, Kishane Thompson of Jamaica, and Noah Lyles of the United States compete in the men’s 100m final during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

s are to commence on Monday, with Malik James-King, Roshawn Clarke and Assinie Wilson expected to face the starter at 7:35 pm (5:35 am Jamaica time).