Usain Bolt Reveals Why Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake Can Deliver Tokyo 100m Gold

Tokyo will witness Jamaica’s rising sprint stars as Usain Bolt hints at a potential shift in 100m dominance.

Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt has thrown his weight behind rising stars Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville to dethrone defending champion Noah Lyles in the men’s 100 meters at the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo.

Bolt, an 11-time world champion and eight-time Olympic gold medalist, believes the new generation of Jamaican sprinters has the form and the confidence to end America’s recent dominance in the blue-ribbon event.

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Since Bolt’s retirement in 2017, U.S. sprinters including Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, and Lyles himself have captured world titles. But according to Bolt, that streak is about to end.

“Kishane and Oblique have really shown this season that they're really doing extremely well,” Bolt said as per Jamaican Times.

“They should be 1-2 at least because they have proven throughout the season that they are at the top, and they're running fast times. So it's just all about execution.”

Jamaica Eyes First Sprint Crown Since 2015

Thompson has emerged as one of the fastest men on the planet in 2025, clocking a world-leading 9.75 seconds this season.

The 23-year-old also secured silver at the Paris Olympics last year, finishing just behind Lyles.

Seville, meanwhile, has been a consistent contender, finishing fourth at the last World Championships and beating Lyles twice already this year.

"I'm happy to go to the stadium and see," Bolt added with a smile.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to present the gold medal to one of them!"

The sprint legend, famous for his calm demeanor even under the brightest lights, advised both Thompson and Seville to stay focused: “Just not listen to the noise. It's just about one of them executing and it should be fine. I'm very confident that they can get it done.”

Playing Down the Hype Around Noah Lyles

The build-up to Tokyo has also featured verbal jabs from Lyles, who has never been shy about his outspoken personality.

Bolt, however, dismissed the chatter. “I don't think Noah is as crazy as Justin (Gatlin),” Bolt said, referencing his longtime rival.

“For me, it's no difference. It's like Gatlin over the years: we've pushed back and forth.”

Bolt suggested Gatlin’s era was one of heavier trash talk, but insisted he never let it bother him.

“Gatlin was a different breed, because he came up in an era where trash-talking was just normal to everybody. So, for me, as you know, I never listen to anyone. I know when I'm prepared and I'm ready, you can say whatever you want, you're not going to beat me. Always focused and ready so it would never be a problem.”

Record Still Safe, Says Bolt

While the next generation of sprinters has been making waves, Bolt remains confident that his astonishing 100-meter world record of 9.58 seconds, set in Berlin in 2009, will stand for years to come.

“No, I'm not worried,” he said.

“There will be athletes coming up, and they will do well, but at this present moment I don't see anything that they can do to break a world record, so I'm not worried.”

Still, he admitted he would not mind if one of his children were the one to eventually rewrite history.

“I've always hoped that maybe one of my kids, my boys, will do track and field,” he said. “I don't know. They're not showing any talent yet. Hopefully, they'll get better, we'll see!”

Jamaica heads into Tokyo with a renewed sense of belief, and for the first time since 2015, the sprint crown could once again be painted in green, black, and gold.