Seville has a history of brilliance in the early rounds but vulnerability in finals. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he ran a personal best of 9.81 in the semis, only to finish eighth in the final due to injury.
He has been candid about that pain and the frustration of leaving Paris with questions unanswered rather than medals.
“What happened at the Olympics is uncontrollable… I was hoping the injury would never occur in the final, but it actually did, unfortunately,” he said in the months that followed as quoted by Essentially Sports.
That misfortune appears to have fueled his hunger this season.
Under the guidance of Usain Bolt’s former coach, Glen Mills, Seville’s start has improved, and his race plan emphasises attacking early. This season’s wins over Lyles reflect that approach. Lyles himself admitted a poor reaction cost him in Lausanne and is focusing on technical tweaks ahead of Tokyo.
Beyond times and trophies, the most startling endorsement of Seville’s ceiling came from an unlikely quarter: Usain Bolt. The Jamaican great named Seville among the few sprinters capable of challenging the world record 9.58 mark. Bolt highlighted Seville’s acceleration, top speed, and room to improve, though staying healthy and consistent across rounds remains a challenge.
“I feel like Oblique can do it,” Bolt said in public remarks earlier this year as reported by Olympics.com.