Jefferson-Wooden, Seville blaze to glory

Oblique Seville scorched to the World 100m gold in a personal best 9.77 seconds on Sunday (September 14, 2025), leading a Jamaican 1-2 ahead of Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson, who was second again in 9.82. Defending champion Noah Lyles took bronze in 9.89 as the USA failed to take the title for the first time since 2015.

Seville had looked the man to beat through the rounds in last year’s Olympics but finished last in the final. On Sunday (September 14, 2025), he was again hot in his semifinal but kept his focus to deliver a fantastic race in front of a watching Usain Bolt, the last Jamaican to take the title.

Letsile Tebogo, Botswana’s Olympic 200m champion and silver medallist in the world 100m two years ago, false-started and was disqualified in the final.

United States’ Melissa Jefferson-Wooden wins the women’s 100 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Minutes earlier, American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden capped a dominant season by winning the women’s event in a championship record of 10.61s. Tina Clayton took silver for Jamaica in a personal best of 10.76, while bronze went to Olympic champion Julien Alfred of St. Lucia in 10.84.

American double Olympic discus champion Valarie Allman finally claimed the World title that has proved so elusive when she took gold with a throw of 69.48 metres. Allman, who had back-to-back bronzes in the Worlds, finished ahead of Jorinde van Klinken of the Netherlands (67.50m) and Cuba’s Silinda Morales (67.25).

Valarie Allman of the U.S. celebrates with her medal and national flag after winning gold in the Women’s Discus Throw Final on September 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Frenchman Jimmy Gressier sprinted down the final straight to win a shock gold medal in the men’s 10,000 metres and claim his first global title in 28 minutes, 55.77 seconds.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, a silver medallist in Doha six years ago, won another silver in 28.55.83 with Swede Andreas Almgren third in 28.56.02.

Gold medallist Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir celebrates winning on the podium during the medal ceremony on September 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya won the women’s marathon, clocking two hours, 24 minutes and 43 seconds in a thrilling last-minute spurt that edged her past Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa and Julia Paternain of Uruguay.

Sarvesh Anil Kushare on Sunday (September 14, 2025) became the first Indian to qualify for the high jump final, while National record holder Gulveer Singh finished 16th in the 10,000m race with a below-par performance.

Sarvesh Anil Kushare in action during Men’s High Jump Qualification (Groups A & B combined) in World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 on September 14, 2025
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

The 30-year-old Kushare, who made it to the showpiece at the 34th spot among 36 competing athletes through the world ranking quota, scaled 2.25m to finish joint seventh in Group B of the qualification round. He ended at joint ninth in the overall rankings across two groups.