World Athletics Championships 2025: Fred Kerley Snubs Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson in Bold 100m Prediction

Fred Kerley has overlooked defending champions Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles as he named his podium predictions in the women’s and men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The 2022 world champion will miss this year’s edition of the World Championships following controversies off the track that saw him get arrested three times.

Fred Kerley also faces a two-year ban after the Athletics Integrity Unit suspended him for missing three doping tests within 12 months.

The Tokyo 2020 100m silver medallist was notified of the suspension, and he immediately stated he plans to challenge the ruling, insisting he was not at fault for one of the missed tests.

Now, as he watches from the stands, Fred Kerley has disclosed his top three finishers in the men’s and women’s 100m races, ruling out the defending champions.

Following his impressive form from the start of the season, Fred Kerley believes it is now time for Akani Simbine to win an individual medal.

Fred Kerley added that if they all make the final healthy, Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville will finish first and second.

“Akani is going to get his first individual medal, I’m going to put him in a bronze right now. I feel like Oblique is also going to get his first individual medal too. Kishane will win the gold,” Fred Kerley said on the T&F Network podcast.

He added that at the moment, Noah Lyles will be out to prove a point in the 200m, especially after what happened at the Paris Olympic Games.

Noah Lyles tested positive for COVID and failed to impress, finishing a distant third as Letsile Tebogo made history as the first African to win a gold medal in the 200m.

“Noah, his baby is the 200m right now. He doesn’t have time to lose the 200m. No disrespect to him, but he can’t lose his 200m. He wants the 200m, from what happened at the Olympics last year…nobody cares about the 200m; however, he does,” Fred Kerley added.

“I got my boy Akani getting a medal, and obviously, Oblique and Kishane, but it’s important if they stay healthy. It’s going to be a good show.”

Fred Kerley added that for the women’s 100m, Olympic champion Julien Alfred will be the one to walk away with the win despite Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s impressive form.

Kerley acknowledged that Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has been in great shape this season, but Julien Alfred will be lethal, since she has raced sparingly and is ready to give her all in Tokyo.

He added that 10-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will win the bronze medal, insisting that she cannot exit the big stage without a medal.

“Julien is coming back, Melissa is always going to be my favourite girl, but Julien has not really gotten into running that much,” Fred Kerley said.

“Julien and Melissa are going to do something special in Tokyo, but the third spot is up in the air. I might put Shelly-Ann, she is not leaving her final games without a medal.”

In his prediction, he did not mention Sha’Carri Richardson, who has also had a fair share of struggles this season, as she was arrested following an altercation with her boyfriend, Christian Coleman.