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Wide open men’s 100 metres at World Champs

Published:Wednesday | August 9, 2023 | 12:10 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s Oblique Seville (left) competing in the men’s 100m finals at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon last year. Seville finished fourth in the event behind World Champion Fred Kerley (right), Marvin Bracey (not pictured) and Trayvon Brome
Gladstone Taylor
Jamaica’s Oblique Seville (left) competing in the men’s 100m finals at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon last year. Seville finished fourth in the event behind World Champion Fred Kerley (right), Marvin Bracey (not pictured) and Trayvon Bromell (not pictured) in a USA 1-2-3 sweep.

SINCE THE retirement of Usain Bolt, the United States has dominated the men’s 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships, scoring wins at the last three stagings.

Justin Gatlin started the wins for the Americans in 2017 in London, with Christian Coleman winning in 2019 in Doha and Fred Kerley doing so last year in Eugene.

In Eugene the US enjoyed real dominance, with Marvin Bracy Williams copping silver and Trayvon Bromell obtaining bronze.

Kerley will be hoping for back-to-back wins in Budapest to ensure the United States’ dominance continues. However, it will not be an easy task with a competitive field expected.

Four athletes, led by Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, have gone sub-9.9 seconds going into the Championships. Hughes, the new national record holder for his country, has a personal best of 9.83 seconds, done at the New York Grand Prix in June.

Hughes is followed by Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya, 9.84, Kerley, 9.88, and Issamade Asinga, 9.89, of Suriname.

The likes of Godson Oke Oghenebrune of Nigeria with a best of 9.90, Coleman and Jamaica’s Rohan Watson, 9.91, Akani Simbine of South Africa, 9.92, and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, 9.95, should all be in the mix in what is expected to be a cracker.

Kerley, who lost in a close finish to Simbine at the Siliesa Diamond League in his only defeat in the event this season, where he got off to a slow start, will be hoping to get back on track. His biggest challenge could, however, come from the fast-finishing Hughes, who is in the form of his life. A semifinalist last year in the event, the Glen Mills-coached Hughes could steal the show here.

Omanyala making mark

Known for their strength in middle and long-distance running, Omanyala is making a big mark in the sprints for Kenya and has been in excellent form this season, including a big win at the Monaco Diamond League and could give the African team its first 100-metre success at the global level.

After success in 2019, Coleman will be hoping to hit top form in Budapast despite not being at his best so far.

Seville, following his fourth-place finish a year ago showed recently at the Ed Murphy Classics in Memphis that he is getting back to his best after injuries with a good second-place finish to the United States Bracy Williams in 9.96 seconds and with his quick start, could pull off a surprise here.

Definitely, this one should go down to the wire where the fast-starting Coleman and Seville, who will be hoping to be in the final should set the early pace and will be hoping to hold off the likes of the fast-finishing Hughes and the defending champion Kerley.