Jamaican sprint star Oblique Seville just electrified the 2025 Grand Slam Track Series 100m, which was his first major race since a devastating injury in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Fans held their breath, praying for a redemption arc, and the Olympian delivered, snatching a second place in 10.08 seconds. Unfortunately, he missed the top spot by a heartbeat, with just 0.01 seconds behind rival Kenny Bednarek.

With such an impressive performance, what many are curious to know is the key architect behind his gritty rebound. And it is no other than the legendary coach Glen Mills, the man steering Seville’s resurgence. So, let us have a glimpse of Mills’ life and how he’s rewriting comeback stories, one sprint at a time.

Meet Glen Mills: Oblique Seville’s Coach

Born on August 14, 1949, Glen Mills is the Jamaican coaching icon who’s been crafting speed demons for over 40 years. While he is the secret behind Usain Bolt’s legendary reign, it wouldn’t be fair to label Mills as just a Bolt-era relic. He’s the mastermind who helped Yohan Blake become “The Beast” and is now fueling Seville’s comeback arc after the sprinter’s injury at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But what many might not know is that Mills once ditched track and field. 

At the tender age of 13, Mills went to Camperdown High School, where he also joined athletics. But, at 14, he gave up on his ambition of being a sprinter, citing his disappointing performances. However, his school coach sensed his interest in the field and encouraged him to assist. Later, he was hired by the same school as the coach. Further, Mills founded Kingston’s Racers Track Club in the 1980s, which is the learning ground for many athletes. 

Glen Mills’ career highlights and achievements

Mills has been training the Jamaican National Team for over 20 years. With a sprinting diploma from the International Olympic Committee Centre in Mexico back in the 70s, he has been steering the athletes of the Caribbean island to global dominance. His trainees have bagged 71 World Championship medals and 33 Olympic medals, with Bolt bagging 19 medals alone. But this was not the case when Bolt met him. 

Bolt had shown a disappointing performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics, after which he stumbled into Mills. Seeing Bolt, Mill realized that he was a diamond that needed some polishing. Thus, he trained him for 2 years, after which Bolt gave a terrific performance in Beijing in 2008 by clocking 9.69 seconds for 100 m. And it is this sprinter who helped Mills get the title of the legendary coach. The Jamaican government for his exceptional contribution to sports has also awarded him the Order of Distinction (Commander Class).

Coach Glen Mills vows Oblique Seville’s comeback: “We will solve the problems”

Mills is now laser-focused on rising star Oblique Seville after his Paris Olympics heartbreak of getting 8th place after a groin injury mid-race. However, that was just the tip of the iceberg. It was later found that many physiological issues also surfaced. Moreover, Mills highlighted that Seville is also having lingering biochemical challenges impacting his performance. After coming back from the U.S. and getting the tests and analysis done, Mills emphasized their relentless approach: “We are trying everything to get him to be at 100 percent, and we are very hopeful that, eventually, we will solve the problems.”

Now, with perseverance, resilience, and Mills by his side, fans are hoping for the outstanding comeback of Seville. But one thing is for sure: Mills is popular for his grumpy behavior, but he is a true mentor who stands by his sprinters even when they hit rock bottom. What is your opinion on it?