From 2008–2016, Jamaica ruled sprinting with Usain Bolt’s Olympic triple, Yohan Blake’s sub‑9.70s, and Asafa Powell’s record-breaking runs. After Bolt’s retirement, depth thinned, injuries hit stars like Blake while the U.S., led by Noah Lyles and Co., excelled. In Paris 2024, the U.S. reclaimed gold in the 100m with Lyles ahead of Kishane Thompson, and Jamaica’s relay failed to reach the final. But before the 2025 World Championships, there’s another star who might change the scenes for this rivalry…

Who are we talking about? Well, in Eisenstadt, Austria, today, Jamaican sprinter Bryan Levell blazed to a personal best of 9.82 seconds in the 100m at the Leichtathletikarena. This stunning performance positions him as the second-fastest man in the world this year, trailing only his teammate Kishane Thompson. Thompson recently clocked a world-leading 9.75 seconds at the Jamaican National Championships, marking the fastest 100m time globally in the last decade, since Justin Gatlin’s 9.74 seconds in 2015

The track saw a stacked 100-meter field gathered, including Olympics silver medalist Yoshihide Kiryū (Japan), South Africa’s Abduraqhman Karriem (fourth fastest South African in 200m this year), and Jamaica’s Bryan Levell. As the gun fired, the athletes exploded from their blocks, though Levell, starting in lane 2, didn’t immediately dominate. Despite a slow start, he maintained his focus. South Africa’s 2017 World U18 Champion, Retshidisitswe Mlenga, proved an early threat, prompting the commentator to declare, “And Mlenga again is away very quickly.” However, Levell had a strategic plan unfolding.

As the distance between the finish line and the 21-year-old started to decrease, his legs moved faster. The commentary announced, “Lovell, though, slow start, but now the big, tall, strong Jamaican’s into his running. And he comes through and he’s absolutely dominated the race.” 9.82s with a headwind of 1.3m/s, Bryan Levell had taken the lead late in the race and only for the win. The domination was such that nobody else clocked a sub-10. Abduraqhman Karriem was second with 10.07s, while Yoshihide Kiryū clocked 10.08 for third.

Bryan has not only clocked his personal best in the 100m but is now the second-fastest track and field athlete this season in the 100 m, joining Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville on the list of threats to the US. Unreal domination of the Jamaican side in the 100m this year. 

Kishane Thompson and Co. dominate the 100m this year, raising tensions for Noah Lyles and USA

Jamaica’s men’s 100 m is fired up this season, and all the thanks go to the Jamaican national championships. On Friday, June 27, the world witnessed what unhinged speed looks like. Three athletes clocked a time that now ranks among the top 10 fastest 100 m times of the 2025 season, one even entering the all-time list of the discipline as well. Oblique Seville was second to finish in the race and clocked a time of 9.83 seconds. This now stands as the third fastest 100m run of the 2025 season after Bryan’s 9.82s dethroned it for second.

Ackeem Blake finished behind Seville with a time of 10.88 seconds. This marked him as the 7th fastest man on the planet for the 2025 season. The good news for the USA in this case is that two of its athletes stand ahead of him. Kenny Bednarek clocked a stunning 9.86 s (+0.8 m/s) in the 100 m at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia, taking number 6 on the list while Trayvon Bromell exploded in the men’s 100 m at the Rome Golden Gala (Diamond League), posting a massive 9.84s (+1.1 m/s). But Kishane Thompson stands as the big man to pass.

In the span of three years (2019 -2022), three elite U.S. sprinters—Christian Coleman, Trayvon Bromell, and Fred Kerley– each recorded identical 100 m personal bests of 9.76s. They ranked 6th, 7th, and 8th on the all-time 100m list of the fastest men. On June 27, Kishane passed all three of them at once with his 9.75 seconds in the 100 meters – the fastest anybody has ever run in the discipline in the past 10 years. A track and field coach used this time to send a warning to Noah Lyles. Levell was part of the same field as he finished 8th with a time of 10.43s, failing to qualify for the 100m at the world championships, though he is coming for 200m in the event after he qualified with his 20.10s in Jamaican nationals.

Noah Lyles might have to look out for him there. While yes, the Olympic gold medalist went against the odds to claim victory in his comeback race in Monaco but he is yet to prove himself in the 100 meters. He has raced once in the 100 meters this season and clocked a 10.00. Now this would get better with time, but would it get better to match the strides Kishane had shown in the Jamaican National Championships?