LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Olympic 100-meter champion Noah Lyles was beaten again by Oblique Seville when the Jamaican splashed to victory Wednesday at a rain-soaked Athletissima meet.
Seville defied steady rain and standing water on the track to impress in 9.87 seconds – just .01 outside his winning time at London last month when Lyles also was second in his injury-delayed season.
“We can perform even in hurricanes,” Seville told Swiss broadcaster RTS. “For me it’s just execution and to show my dominance, to separate myself from the field – once again.”
Lyles clocked 10.02 in his third straight loss over 100 meters on the Diamond League circuit ahead of defending his world title in Tokyo next month.
The United States star trailed out of the blocks then chased down fast-starting Ackeem Blake in the next lane. Blake was given the same time in third.
“I just had a horrible reaction to the gun,” Lyles said. “Physically I feel great and I am confident every race will get better and better.”
Seville placed eighth in the Paris Olympics final last year when his Jamaica teammate Kishane Thompson was edged on the line by Lyles. Thompson is fastest in the world this year – clocking 9.75 in June – and won Saturday in Poland when Lyles was second in an encouraging 9.90.
Heavy rain marred the women’s field events for Olympic champions at the 50th anniversary meet in Lausanne.
High jump world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh opted to stop after one failure each at 1.86 meters and then 1.91, and javelin gold medalist Haruka Kitaguchi placed last. The women’s pole vault event was stopped entirely.
Standout performances early in the program, when the rain was just light, saw Olympic 800 champion Keely Hodgkinson win in 1 minute, 55.69 seconds and Cordell Tinch take the 110 hurdles victory in 12.98 seconds.
