19-07-2025
Seville stuns Lyles amid flood of records in London
London
Jamaica's Oblique Seville streaked to a stunning win over Olympic champion Noah Lyles in the men's 100m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday.
On an afternoon full of records, Jamaica's Oblique Seville stole the headlines with a surprise win over Olympic champion Noah Lyles in the men's 100m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday.
Oblique Seville exploded into an early lead in the men's 100m and maintained it to the end, winning comfortably in 9.86. Olympic champion Noah Lyles, contesting his first 100m of the year, was second in 10.00 ahead of world bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes (10.02).
The Jamaican's first ever Diamond League win was one of several standout performances amid a flood of meeting records and world leads at the London Stadium.
A Wanda Diamond League record from discus world record-holder Mykolas Alekna, an Ethiopian mile record from Gudaf Tsegay and a world-leading 200m run from Julien Alfred were among the highlights.
All three athletes not only broke meeting records, but also improved on the UK all-comers' marks in their respective disciplines.
Alekna took an early lead with 66.97m, but 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh bettered it in round two with 68.37m. Alekna responded with one of the best throws of his life – and the best throw ever produced at a Wanda Diamond League meeting – and sent his discus out to 71.70m.
Ceh, who had won nine consecutive competitions prior to this meeting, improved to 68.83m in the final round but had to settle for second place. British record-holder Lawrence Okoye was third with 67.24m.
World 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay achieved her first Diamond League win of the season, producing a dominant run to win the women's mile with the second-fastest time in history.
After a swift opening lap of 59.93, Tsegay settled into a steadier pace and went through 800m in 2:03.45. At the bell, Australia's Jessica Hull had closed the gap on the Ethiopian, but Tsegay had saved something for the end and kicked to victory in a national record of 4:11.88. Hull was second in 4:13.68, an Oceanian record.
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred smashed her own national record and world lead to win the 200m in convincing fashion. The St Lucian was in the lead as she came off the bend, then continued to open up a significant leading margin, crossing the line in a meeting record of 21.71.
Alfred's training partner, 2019 world champion Dina Asher-Smith, finished strongly to take second in a season's best of 22.25, just ahead of compatriot Amy Hunt, who set a PB of 22.31 in third.
Earlier in the afternoon, Asher-Smith and Hunt had teamed up to win the women's 4x100m in a world-leading 41.69.
There were also meeting records from Kenyan middle-distance runners Phanuel Koech and Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
Eighteen-year-old Koech, who has burst on to the international scene this year, ran like a seasoned professional in the men's 1500m, making his way into the lead on the last lap to win in a UK all-comers' record of 3:28.82. World champion Josh Kerr was second in a season's best of 3:29.37.
Bol wins again
World champion Femke Bol made it three wins in a row in London. The soaking wet track ruled out any chance of an improvement on the Diamond League record she set last year, but the manner of her victory was still highly impressive.
She won by more than a second in 52.10 from USA's Jasmine Jones (53.18) and Jamaica's Andrenette Knight (53.79).
While the women's 400m hurdles and 200m went to the form book, Seville's was not the only surprise victory in the men's sprint events.
In the men's 400m, Olympic silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith and world leader Zakithi Nene were locked in battle down the home straight, but Diamond League champion Charlie Dobson came striding through in the closing stages to win in a PB of 44.14. Hudson-Smith held on for second (44.27), just ahead of Nene (44.29).
