Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville impress as Jamaica 4x100m relay team inches towards World Athletics Championships qualification

Kishane Thompson anchored Jamaica’s men’s 4x100m relay team to a first-place finish at the London Diamond League, clocking a season-best 37.80s. The result inches them closer to a qualification spot for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, scheduled from September 13 to 21.

This marks Jamaica’s second attempt at securing a berth in the men’s sprint relays after failing to earn automatic qualification at the World Athletics Relays in China in March, where they twice failed to finish the event.

The latest victory comes as redemption for the team following a heartbreaking exit during the World Relays heats due to a botched baton exchange, which prevented Thompson from even running. In the repechage round, second-leg runner Julian Forte pulled up with an injury but tried to complete the baton pass. Despite his efforts, the team did not recover and failed to finish, missing their initial shot at qualifying for Tokyo.

The quartet in London featured Rohan Watson, Oblique Seville, Kadrian Goldson, and Kishane Thompson. The Jamaicans finished ahead of Great Britain’s A team, which clocked 38.08s, and the Netherlands, which placed third in 38.17s. The meet, the 11th stop on the Wanda Diamond League circuit, was held at the London Stadium on Saturday, July 19.

After the race, Kishane Thompson spoke candidly about the team's effort, noting that while the baton exchanges weren’t flawless, the team’s trust and focus helped them complete the race and keep their Tokyo hopes alive:

“We are very grateful to get the job done [qualify for Tokyo]. I wouldn’t say the exchanges were perfect, but we got it around safely. We had to trust each other and make sure there were no issues."(via London Diamond League)

Thompson opened his 2025 season at the Shanghai Diamond League in May, where he ran the 100m and secured second place with a time of 9.99s. Akani Simbine won that race, while Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo came in third.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s women’s 4x100m relay team, featuring Shericka Jackson, Jonielle Smith, Tina Clayton, and Briana Williams, finished second with a time of 42.50s at the London Diamond League. Great Britain topped the field with a world-leading 41.69s.

---

Kishane Thompson sends strong message after victory at Prefontaine Classic a week after World Leading performance

Just a week before the London Diamond League, Thompson claimed the 100m title at the 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon on July 5, clocking 9.85s to beat Zharnel Hughes and Trayvon Bromell.

Following his impressive run, Kishane Thompson spoke about his growing dominance on the track, highlighting the importance of execution and self-belief.

“I’m the only one that can stop me. I don’t say that to brag, but to be honest, once I improve my execution, amazing things are going to happen. It’s not just one component; it’s about putting all of them together, from start to finish,” Thompson said.

Kishane Thompson had already secured his qualification for the 2025 World Championships after a blistering 9.75s victory earlier in the season, finishing ahead of Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake.