Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has backed either Kishane Thompson or Oblique Seville to beat defending champion Noah Lyles in the 100m at the world championships in Tokyo.
Bolt is an 11-time world champion, having won consecutive world 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay golds from 2009 to 2015— with the exception of a 100m false start in 2011.
The now 39-year-old retired after the 2017 worlds in London, where he won a final bronze in the 100m, won by US rival Justin Gatlin.
Gatlin, Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, and Lyles have all triumphed for the United States in the blue riband event over the last four world championships.
However, Bolt insisted Thursday that there would be a change in Tokyo and Jamaica could look forward to a first world sprint title since 2015.
“Kishane and Oblique have really shown this season that they’re really doing extremely well,” Bolt said.
“They should be 1-2 at least because they have proven throughout the season that they are at the top and they’re running fast times.
“So it’s just all about execution.”
Thompson won 100m silver at last year’s Paris Olympics behind Lyles and has set a world-leading 9.75 seconds this season, while Seville— fourth in the 100m in the last world champs— has twice beaten Lyles over 100m this year.
Bolt added: “I’m happy to go to the stadium and see. Hopefully, I’ll be able to present the gold medal to one of them!”
Bolt, known for his calm and cool approach to the high-intensity world of track sprinting, recommended that Thompson and Seville “just not listen to the noise”.
“It’s just about one of them executing, and it should be fine,” he said. “I’m very confident that they can get it done.”
Lyles not crazy
Asked about Lyles’ outspoken persona and riffing of Jamaican prospects in the Japanese capital, Bolt played down the American’s words.
“I don’t think Noah is as crazy as Justin (Gatlin),” said Bolt, who also won eight Olympic gold medals.”
“For me, it’s no difference. It’s like Gatlin over the years: we’ve pushed back and forth.”
Gatlin, he said, “was a different breed because he came up in an era where trash-talking was just normal to everybody”.
“So, for me, as you know, I never listen to anyone,” Bolt added. “I know when I’m prepared and I’m ready, you can say whatever you want, you’re not going to beat me. Always focused and ready, so it would never be a problem.”
Bolt was also in a confident mood that his 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, set at the 2009 Berlin worlds, was not going to be troubled any time soon.
“No, I’m not worried,” he said. “There will be athletes coming up, and they will do well, but at this present moment, I don’t see anything that they can do to break a world record, so I’m not worried.
“Everything evolves in life. We think we’ll try to get better, try to go faster, so it’s something that you expect.
“It’s not going to be a surprise if it actually happens. We just have to wait and see what happens.”
Bolt admitted, however, that he’d prefer one of his own children to break the record, although he´s not holding his breath.
“I’ve always hoped that maybe one of my kids, my boys, will do track and field,” he said.
“I don’t know. They’re not showing any talent yet. Hopefully, they’ll get better, we’ll see!”
