TOKYO, Japan – Sprint icon Ato Boldon has hailed Bryan Levell’s breakthrough performance at the World Athletics Championships as a defining moment in the Jamaican’s young career, declaring that the 21-year-old has confirmed himself as a legitimate contender in the men’s 200m.

Boldon, a four-time Olympic medallist and one of the finest half-lap sprinters in history, was left impressed by Levell’s poise and execution as he battled his way to the podium in his first senior global final.

“That’s my event and I love seeing the quality for place, for times. You are talking about rewriting a lot of the history book,” said Boldon.

Levell, competing in his first global final, powered his way to a 19.64 seconds personal best to hold off Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo and claim the bronze medal behind Noah Lyles, 19.52, and Kenny Bednarek, 19.58.

This performance followed a 19.84 seconds run in the heats and a 19.78 effort in the semi-finals.

“I was glad to be right about Levell,” said Boldon, now a highly respected commentator and analyst. “I thought he would be second but he was able to get a medal; and listen, all of them know that Noah is the man to beat in this event. To me, Noah is kind of going to breeze through the next couple of years trying to fend off challengers in the 200m. We know his challenge is the 100m but the 200m is in very good hands.”

With Lyles maintaining his dominance in the event, Boldon believes Levell’s arrival adds fresh intrigue to the half-lap showdown, alongside established names like Bednarek, Tebogo, and a crop of other young challengers.

“You have four or five guys now who can legitimately win on any given day,” Boldon noted. “That was my concern. I said before the race that I thought that Noah’s biggest challenge, particularly because of that great lane draw that Levell had, I thought that Noah’s biggest challenge tonight was not just Bednarek, it was Levell.”

Levell, who has been earmarked as one of Jamaica’s brightest sprint prospects since his junior days, stepped onto the senior stage in Tokyo and showed that he belongs in the mix with the very best.

And Boldon underlined his achievement in Tokyo as a huge indicator of his talent and mettle.

“There is something to be said for somebody, in their very first time in a global final, finding a way to be on the podium,” Boldon added. “That is not normal and it’s not easy when you are running at this level.”

For Boldon, Levell’s achievement goes far beyond just a medal — it signals the emergence of a new force in the men’s 200m.

“There’s a new player that has been added to the game,” he declared. “And he is Jamaica’s Levell.”

BOLDON… there is something to be said for somebody, in their very first time in a global final, finding a way to be on the podium