11.9.2025
The 2025 World Athletics Championship begins Saturday in Tokyo, Japan and sprinters from the USA and Jamaica are once again set to renew their rivalry.
Both countries will be looking to dominate sprints in which they parade the world fastest men in the men’s 100m and 4x100m relay, the United States, with nine titles, and Jamaica, with four, have held sway this event.
South Africa enter as world leaders with their 37.61-second victory at the World Relays, ahead of the United States’s 37.66. Jamaica, who left it late to qualify for Tokyo, posted 37.80 at the London Diamond League and come in as the third-fastest team.
Jamaica will be led by the world’s fastest man this season, Kishane Thompson (9.75). He will be joined by Oblique Seville (9.83), Ackeem Blake (9.88), and either Ryiem Forde or Rohan Watson, who led off in London.
The United States should line up with world number two Kenneth Bednarek (9.79), T’Mars McCallum (9.83), Christian Coleman (9.84), and Noah Lyles.
Jamaica could have benefited from world number three Bryan Levell (9.82), but his handlers confirmed earlier that he would not be available, preferring him to focus on the individual 200 metres.
The Jamaicans last won in 2015 in Beijing, their fourth consecutive victory in an era dominated by Usain Bolt. Hungry to return to the top, they will be eyeing another golden moment.
Lyles, despite not yet at his sharpest, anchored the US to victory in Budapest and will be eager to lead his team to back-to-back titles. His experience on anchor could prove decisive.
Japan, with a season’s best 37.84, as well as Australia and the Netherlands, each with 37.87, are also in contention, but this race looks set to boil down to execution between the US and Jamaica.
Fans are especially excited to see Thompson and Lyles clash on the anchor leg. With both men closing, a sub-37-second clocking could very well be in the making.
This one is too close to call. The US, with the explosive Coleman on the lead leg, are given the slightest of edges. But one mistimed exchange could swing the title Jamaica’s way. Either way, the world is bracing for a relay thriller.
