'Just to Make That Clear' - Oblique Seville Dismisses Noah Lyles' Mind Games After Historic World Title

Oblique Seville has opened up about not being intimidated by Noah Lyles’ antics following his impressive show at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Oblique Seville clocked an impressive personal best time of 9.77 seconds ahead of Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson, who clocked 9.82 seconds. Reigning Olympic champion Noah Lyles rounded up the podium in 9.89 seconds.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

At the World Athletics Championships, Oblique Seville stumbled out of the blocks and had to fight back hard, finishing in 9.93 seconds in the heats. Gift Leotlela stormed to a personal best of 9.87 seconds.

Noah Lyles commented on Oblique Seville’s third-place finish in the heats, noting that: "I knew that was going to happen. That man was panicking in the back."

With the Commonwealth Games as next season’s major global event, Oblique Seville has already set his targets, revealing that if he is physically fit, he will be eyeing a medal.

"Physically, yes. Physically yes. I never had any mental issue, just to make that clear, but it's just that I was always injured over and over, and it's just unfortunate for me, and it caught me at the wrong time," Oblique Seville told the STAR Sports at the Norman Manley International Airport on Wednesday evening.

"But if I am injury-free straight through (the season), I am not gonna come off the medal podium for sure."

Oblique Seville added that track and field is not easy, noting that he has always been a medal contender, but injuries have stood in his way.

Seville added that throughout the challenges, he never wanted to give up on his dream, and now, people can learn from his resilience.

"Well, it's not quite that simple, but for me, when I started track and field on the professional stage, it was not easy. I have shown over the years that I am the prospect of a medal contender, and I have been knocking, knocking on the door," he said.

"But I never gave up, and I think this can inspire a lot of athletes because of what I have done at the World Championships. So, my story is wide open. So everyone who follows Oblique knows my story. So I think that this will motivate them when they look back at my journey."

Oblique Seville admitted that after crossing the finish line at the World Athletics Championships, it triggered memories of the men’s 100m in the Paris Olympic Games after going into the final as one of the favourites.

"It changed my life a lot because to think about it, if you look at it, to come from eighth at the Olympic Games (last year) to actually win a gold medal at the World Championships that shows a lot of resilience,” Oblique Seville revealed.

“And not just because people are saying that I have mental problems and all that stuff, but what I have done now has proven that my mental health and everything is quite fine. It's just that I was always unfortunately injured over the years, so this is the time where I showed my class and my dominance in the professional stage of my career."

Oblique Seville, Jamaica’s sole gold medallist at the World Championships, is relishing the achievement of becoming the first Jamaican man to win the 100m title since Usain Bolt in 2015.