Bolt Celebrates as Jamaicans and Americans Shine at World Championships

In Tokyo, Usain Bolt celebrated wildly from a luxury box as sprinters from his home country, Jamaica, dominated the track. The night was also a success for the United States, as the sport's past and future converged in back-to-back 100-meter finals on a hot Sunday.

Jamaica's Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson secured a 1-2 finish in the men's 100-meter sprint, prompting Bolt's enthusiastic reaction, while defending champion Noah Lyles of the United States took bronze. Moments earlier, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States won the women's sprint. The race featured a silver medal for Jamaica's Tina Clayton, a farewell performance for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, who finished sixth, and a fifth-place finish for Sha’Carri Richardson.

Seville, coached by Bolt's former mentor, Glen Mills, won the men's race in a personal best of 9.77 seconds. He had shown promise since his Olympic debut in the same stadium four years prior. Seville, who stands at 5-foot-7, and Bolt, who is 6-foot-4, may not have much in common physically, but they both know how to race and celebrate. Seville led from the start, then fell behind, but regained his composure and overtook Thompson to win the title.

The new champion celebrated by parading shirtless around the track. Seville's victory marked the first time a Jamaican man had won the 100-meter at the world championships since Bolt in 2015. It was also the first 1-2 finish for Jamaica in the 100-meter at a major championship since Bolt and Yohan Blake achieved it at the London Olympics in 2012. Bolt had predicted the 1-2 finish before the race.

In the women's race, Jefferson-Wooden quickly established a lead, extending it throughout the race and finishing strong. She finished in 10.61 seconds, breaking Richardson’s world-championship record by .04 seconds. Her victory over Clayton by .15 seconds was significant. Richardson, who trains with Jefferson-Wooden, did not perform as well as she had in the past.

Meanwhile, Clayton's second-place finish put Jamaica on the podium on the night its best female sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, bid adieu in the 100 with a sixth-place finish. Another American success story came in the long-jump pit, where Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump world championship.

In the discus throw, Valarie Allman of the United States won gold. In the men’s 10,000 meters, Jimmy Gressier of France, known for road racing, won gold. In the women’s marathon, Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir won gold.