'I’m gonna do this for him'- Oblique Seville on plans to make late father proud on the global stage

'I’m gonna do this for him'- Oblique Seville on plans to make late father proud on the global stage

Abigael Wafula 15:36 - 14.11.2024

Oblique Seville is driven to excel in track to honour his late father’s belief in his potential and strives to represent Jamaica on the world stage.

Oblique Seville has opened up about his main motivation as a sprinter and why he badly wants to make it to the top.

Speaking in the second season of the Sprint docuseries, the Jamaican youngster explained that his late father, Gerald, was always encouraging him to work hard and he was one of the people who believed in his dream.

Losing his father in 2018 was a life changing moment as he was one of his greatest cheerleaders and Oblique Seville is keen to make him proud.

Seville revealed that before his father passed on, he looked healthy the previous day but he unfortunately succumbed to a heart attack. The late Gerald left a strong message for the youngster and the words still linger in his mind to date.

“Before he died, he said to me, ‘You can do great things.’ It motivates me because each time I’m performing, I’m always thinking ‘I’m gonna go out there and do this for him’,” Oblique Seville said.

“I’m not sure what the future holds but track and field is an individual sport. It takes only you, only you alone to get the job done.

“So, my aim is to make the Jamaican team and to compete against the world. If I do this, I know that my dad is going to be happy. He will be there smiling,” he added.

He has been compared to Usain Bolt and currently, Oblique Seville even trains with the world record holder’s former coach Glen Mills as he looks to live up to the Jamaican legend’s legacy.

This season was not the best for the world bronze medallist as he had hopes of impressing at the Paris Olympic Games but failed to live up to the billing. He opened his season at the Camperdown Classics with a win in the 400m before winning the 200m at the Velocity Fest 14.

Oblique Seville then later claimed top honours at the Racers Grand Prix, beating Noah Lyles to second place. He then headed to the Jamaican Olympic trials where he finished second behind Kishane Thompson.

At the Paris Olympic Games, Seville was off to a great start, winning the heats and semi-final before fading to eighth-place in the final of the race.

Tags: