Oblique Seville is no stranger to setting records at Kingston’s National Stadium, setting the 60m national record in 2023 with a blistering 6.42. Given that he hasn’t broken 9.9 in the 100m since September 2025, few expected Seville to usurp Kayinsola Ajayi’s world lead of 9.84. But that’s exactly what he did, and he was then joined by Shericka Jackson as the two ended long-standing droughts.

For Seville, the win marked his first-ever Jamaican national title in the 100m, one that he did in some style. The 25-year-old soared to the win with a season best of 9.82 seconds, taking Ajayi’s world lead in the process. He was the pre-race favourite in the absence of reigning champion Kishane Thompson, but Seville still had stern competition.

The Jamaican was up against Ackeem Blake, Gary Card, and a catalogue of Jamaican stars. Many anticipated great things from Blake and Seville, yet Card stepped up as a wedge between them. The teenager stunned onlookers as he finished ahead of the 4x100m world record holder with 9.92 seconds. Blake clocked 9.94 to settle for third place.

Seville had to put his best foot forward. The 25-year-old won the JAAA/Puma Meet 3 earlier this season, but with a time of 9.96. He could be forgiven because it was his season opener in the 100m for the 2026 season. But his second race wasn’t all that better either, clocking 9.91 at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix in early June.

The national championships marked his third 100m meet of the season. Even then, a world-lead time was far from guaranteed. He clocked 10.09 in the prelims before hitting 9.95 in the semis. Not quite anywhere close to his eventual time, unlike Shericka Jackson.

Much like Seville, the 31-year-old also thrived at the 2026 Jamaican National Championships. The Olympic gold medalist soared to her first national title since 2024, albeit after a tough race. Jackson clocked 11.17 in her prelims, which also happened to be her first 100m race of the season. As if that wasn’t enough, Jackson then beat reigning champion Tina Clayton by a whisker. The three-time 100m national champion won in 10.81, matching Clayton’s winning time from 2025.

The reigning champion, on the other hand, finished an unfortunate 0.04 seconds behind, stopping the clock at 10.85. Jonielle Smith came in third with 10.94 and was the last woman in the final to break the sub-11-second mark. It could be the start of a special rivalry between the two, especially after Clayton beat…yup, Shericka Jackson in 2025 to put an end to her dominance.

Up until that point, Jackson had won the 100m title three years running, clocking 10.77 in 2022, 10.65 in 2023, and 10.84 in 2024. She would have had a five-peat had Clayton not interrupted the streak in 2025. In fact, this marks only the second time Jackson has beaten Tina Clayton, having lost the last three times they matched up.

The win also means that Shericka Jackson has now won her last four consecutive meets across all disciplines. That includes back-to-back 200m wins in the Diamond League.  She recently touched upon her victory in the aftermath of her Xiamen DL win.

Shericka Jackson reflects on her Xiamen 200m win

A combination of hamstring and quad injuries meant that Shericka Jackson was out of commission for most of 2024. For one of the fastest women alive, that put a damper on her life. Despite her late start to the 2026 season, Jackson has proven why she’s an Olympic gold medalist. After all, the 32-year-old is arguably the best sprinter in the world and has proved it this season.

In fact, she even came within 0.01 seconds of Julien Alfred’s former world-leading time in Xiamen, soaring past her competition to seal the win. Even then, her 21.87-second time wasn’t even close to her best, although, as she proved in Jamaica, she’s getting close to that again. That was exactly what Jackson had been targeting as she attested to after her big Xiamen win.

“For me, it’s just be patient, be myself and have some fun,” Jackson said as per Olympic.com. “Last year, I won a bronze medal [at the World Championships in Tokyo]. I definitely wasn’t satisfied, but I wouldn’t say ‘I’m back’ because last year I was competing. Regardless of how fit I was, I showed up.”

Now, having run her best 100m time since September 2023, Shericka Jackson is returning to form. And yet, for her, the focus is on being “here and having run and healthy” which given her recent injury troubles, isn’t surprising. Only time will tell, though, if Jackson ever returns to her five-time Olympic medalist best.