This past Sunday, the Jamaican sprinter made history by becoming the initial athlete from Jamaica to win the men’s 100m global championship since the iconic Usain Bolt. But, it appears his mind is just as sharp as his lightning-fast speed on the running surface.
Designing the Perfect Sprinter
During an interview about how he would design the perfect sprinter, the champion responded instantly. Instead of listing qualities from multiple athletes, his answer was swift and clear: “Usain.”
“There’s never been anyone such as him,” stated Seville. “However I would combine his final part of the race and my start. That way you would have the flawless sprinter.”
Contrasting Opinions on Current Talent
Yet, Seville disagrees with his hero’s view on one key issue. Earlier this week, the retired champion stated that the present era of sprinters lacks the ability to run the 100m in 9.6 seconds.
The Tokyo winner, who ran a personal best of 9.77 seconds, had a different opinion.
“I believe it’s just a matter of when before someone runs 9.6 seconds,” he said. “I don’t think we are distant in this era. It just takes time. Because it’s important to remember it was the same back then.
“No one was running 9.6 until Usain Bolt put his foot down in Beijing. So it’s up to us today, as a rising generation, to match that level. To show that we can achieve the same thing as Usain did.”
Different Profiles, Shared Mentor
Both Jamaican sprinters could hardly be more different in stature. Bolt measured 6ft 5in and weighed around 14 stone, whereas Seville is 5ft 6in and just 11st 6lb.
Seville also spoke about his beliefs, noting he prepares for competitions by reading the scriptures, which provides him “a lot of peace of mind.” The former titleholder, on the other hand, had a very different approach.
But both athletes share the identical coach: Glen Mills. It was, Mills consistently was confident that Seville could follow Bolt and become the fastest man on Earth.
“I knew I was a fast kid when I was six,” recalled Seville. “I competed against others larger than me and I was extremely competitive. So I showed it at a young age.
“When I started training under my mentor, he told me it would require a some time to make it to the winner’s circle. And whatever he predicts comes true. His words manifested for me and here I am as a world champion.”
Psychological Strength and Focus
After Bolt stepped away in 2017, the crown of global fastest man has changed hands multiple times. Today, Seville aims to retain it.
However, he acknowledges that staying at the peak is not easy.
“I possess the mentality. But injuries are inevitable in the sport,” Seville explained. “And due to my height and size, I cannot make even one mistake. I have to make sure each detail I do is perfect.”
This same fortitude allowed him brush off psychological tactics from rivals before the championship race.
“That didn’t affect me,” Seville remarked. “Since over the time, I understood that Noah is will act like himself. So he’s will talk.
“I respect that. It’s good for the sport. It might work on other athletes, but not me. I arrived to the global event for a single purpose: to take the gold medal.”
And, he did just that.
