This past Sunday, the Jamaican sprinter achieved a milestone by becoming the first athlete from Jamaica to win the men’s 100m global championship after the legendary Usain Bolt. However, it turns out his thinking is just as quick as his blistering speed on the running surface.
Creating the Ideal Sprinter
During an interview about how he would design the perfect sprinter, the champion responded instantly. Rather than listing attributes from various runners, his reply was immediate and clear: “Bolt.”
“No one has ever matched a runner like him,” admitted Seville. “However I would take his closing phase of the sprint and my start. That way you would have the flawless sprinter.”
Differing Opinions on Today’s Talent
However, the gold medalist does not share his hero’s perspective on one important issue. Earlier this week, Bolt claimed that the present era of sprinters does not possess the ability to run the 100m in 9.6 seconds.
The Tokyo winner, who clocked a career-fastest of 9.77 seconds, disagreed.
“In my opinion it’s just a matter of when before someone runs 9.6 seconds,” he commented. “I don’t think we are distant in this generation. We need time. Because you have to understand it was the identical in the past.
“No one was running 9.6 before Usain Bolt put his foot down in Beijing. So it’s up to us today, as a new generation, to meet that standard. To show that we can do the exact thing that Usain did.”
Different Backgrounds, Shared Coach
The two Jamaican athletes are vastly more different in build. Bolt measured 6ft 5in and weighed around 14 stone, while Seville is under 170cm and just 11st 6lb.
The new champion additionally spoke about his beliefs, saying he prepares for races by studying the scriptures, which provides him “great peace of mind.” Bolt, by contrast, had a very different routine.
Yet both men share the identical coach: Glen Mills. It was, Mills consistently was confident that Seville could follow Bolt and become the quickest man on Earth.
“I realised I was quick when I was young,” recalled Seville. “I was running against others bigger than me and I was extremely competitive. Thus I showed it early on.
“After I started training under my mentor, he told me it would require a some time to make it to the winner’s circle. But whatever he says comes true. His words manifested for me and now I stand as a world champion.”
Psychological Toughness and Focus
Since Bolt retired in 2017, the title of global fastest man has been passed around several times. Today, the Jamaican hopes to retain it.
But, he admits that remaining at the peak won’t be easy.
“I possess the mindset. Yet setbacks are part of the game,” Seville explained. “And because of my stature and size, I cannot make any mistake. I have to make sure everything I do is perfect.”
That same fortitude allowed him brush off psychological tactics from rivals before the championship race.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Seville remarked. “Because over the time, I understood that Noah is will act like himself. And he’s will talk.
“I appreciate that. It’s good for the sport. Perhaps it work on other athletes, but not me. I came to the world championship for one goal: to win the gold medal.”
And, he succeeded.
