American sprinter Noah Lyles offers career advice to Seville Oblique
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 29.09.25. | 15:30
The 24-year-old Seville stormed to 100m gold in Tokyo, ending Jamaica’s nine-year wait for a global title in the men’s event
Fresh off his World Championships triumph in Tokyo, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville has been urged by American sprint king Noah Lyles to think beyond the track and embrace the business side of athletics as he navigates the pressures of stardom.
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The 24-year-old Seville stormed to 100m gold in Tokyo, ending Jamaica’s nine-year wait for a global title in the men’s event.
His victory was hard-earned, coming after seasons of close calls and disappointments that included a personal best of 9.81 in the semifinals of the Paris 2024 Olympics, only to finish eighth in the final after injury struck.
In Tokyo, however, Seville finally converted promise into glory, holding off challenges from countryman Kishane Thompson and American rival Noah Lyles.
Lyles, who took bronze behind another Jamaican, Kishane Thompson, praised Seville’s maturity on the track but warned that talent alone does not guarantee longevity.
“He’s obviously so young, very talented, but there are so many people who have been talented in our sport that, unfortunately, have not been able to hit that upper echelon.
It’s more about what’s the path he’s going to take, who’s the team that he’s going to take with him, and how much work are you going to put into not just being athletic, but knowing that you’ve got to be a businessperson and you’ve got to be it young,” Lyles told The Guardian.
Seville’s path to gold was paved with memorable victories. He defeated Lyles twice earlier this season in high-profile Diamond League showdowns, clocking 9.86 in London and 9.87 in Lausanne.
His unique starts and mid-race mechanics neutralised the Lyles’ famed top-end speed.
However, the biggest test for Seville may come from within Jamaica. His compatriot Thompson, also 24, lit up the Jamaican Nationals with a world-leading 9.75, edging Seville’s 9.83. The rivalry between the two is shaping up as one of sprinting’s fiercest storylines.
The next generation is already knocking at the door. Australian teenager Gout Gout, just 17, became the youngest ever to line up in the 200m at Tokyo, though he bowed out in the semifinals. Lyles, who knows Gout through their shared Adidas connection, offered him similar advice to Seville.
“That’s the hardest part about being such a young talent, you have to grow up so much faster than everybody else.
When people get to come to you and they’re like, ‘hey, we need this of you,’ unfortunately, you don’t get to say, ‘I’m only a teenager.’
Because once you sign the contract, once you’re on the track, you’re no longer a teenager, you’re now a businessman,” he advised.
