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On Sunday evening, the Jamaican sprinter achieved a milestone by becoming the first Jamaican to claim the men’s 100m global championship after the legendary Usain Bolt. However, it turns out his thinking is just as sharp as his lightning-fast speed on the track.

Creating the Ideal Sprinter

When asked about how he would build the perfect sprinter, Seville responded instantly. Rather than listing attributes from various runners, his reply was immediate and clear: “Usain.”

“There’s never been a runner such as him,” stated Seville. “But I would combine his closing phase of the sprint and my start. That way you would have the flawless sprinter.”

Contrasting Opinions on Current Talent

However, Seville disagrees with his hero’s view on one important topic. Earlier this week, the retired champion claimed that the current generation of sprinters lacks the ability to achieve the 100m in under 9.7 seconds.

Seville, who clocked a career-fastest of 9.77 seconds, disagreed.

“In my opinion it’s only a matter of when before an athlete 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 back then.

“No one was running 9.6 before Usain Bolt put his foot down in Beijing. So it’s on us today, as a rising generation, to match that level. To show that we can achieve the same thing as Usain did.”

Contrasting Backgrounds, Shared Mentor

Both Jamaican sprinters could hardly be more distinct in stature. Bolt measured 6ft 5in and weighed around 14 stone, while Seville is 5ft 6in and only 11st 6lb.

The new champion additionally shared about his beliefs, saying he gets ready for competitions by studying the scriptures, which provides him “a lot of peace of mind.” Bolt, on the other hand, was known for a completely different routine.

But the two athletes have the same coach: Glen Mills. It was, Mills consistently believed that Seville could follow Bolt and rise as the quickest man in the world.

“I knew I was a fast kid when I was young,” recalled Seville. “I was running against kids bigger than me and I was very competitive. Thus I showed it at a young age.

“When I began working with my coach, he said it would take a some time to make it to the podium. And whatever he predicts comes true. His words manifested for me and now I stand as a gold medallist.”

Psychological Toughness and Focus

Since Bolt retired in 2017, the crown of world champion has been passed around multiple times. Now, the Jamaican hopes to retain it.

However, he admits that remaining at the top won’t be easy.

“I have the mentality. But injuries are part of the sport,” Seville explained. “Plus because of my stature and build, I must not make any mistake. I have to ensure everything I do is perfect.”

This identical fortitude helped him ignore mind games from competitors before the final.

“That didn’t affect me,” Seville remarked. “Since over the years, I understood that Noah is will act like Noah. And he’s going to talk.

“I appreciate that. It adds excitement for the sport. Perhaps it work on other athletes, but not me. I came to the global event for a single goal: to take the gold.”

And, he succeeded.