Tokyo 2025 World Championships: Champion vs Challengers and Underdogs (men's 100m event)

From the defending champion Noah Lyles to the top challengers and underdogs, here's what to expect in the men's 100m event at Tokyo 2025 World Championships.

The men's 100m event at Tokyo 2025 World Championships will arguably be the most competitive in recent years and one for the history books.

From the defending champion Noah Lyles to the top challengers in Kishane Thompson, Kenny Bednarek, and Oblique Seville, and underdogs - T'Mars Mccallum and Zharnel Hughes, they're all capable of victory in the event.

CHAMPION

Since the retirement of Usain Bolt, no athlete has been able to successfully defend the world title in the men's 100m event - a goal Noah Lyles has in his sights when he lines up on the track in Tokyo.

The American speedster with the bragging rights of the world's fastest man as the reigning World and Olympic 100m champion, will gun to extend his winning streak in a major final.

If successful in his attempt, Lyles would claim his seventh career world title, thus strengthening his hold as one of the greatest sprinters to run the sport.

CHALLENGERS

Kishane Thompson

Jamaican 100m champion Kishane Thompson has run the fastest time in a decade with a season’s best of 9.75s to place him sixth on the world all-time list.

Going to Tokyo with the knowledge that he has beaten Lyles, who pipped him to Olympic gold last summer by the barest of margins, already this season in a rematch at the Silesia Diamond League, Thompson will aim to finally prove he doesn't choke on big occasions and can step into the big shoes of Bolt as Jamaica's next global champion.

Oblique Seville

Another Jamaican talent classified as a top challenger is Oblique Seville. He beat Lyles at the Diamond League in London a few weeks back in a time of 9.86s and then produced a similarly convincing win in Lausanne in 9.87s, with Lyles once again finishing second (10.02).

Having a convincing season's best of 9.83s with the prospects of running faster, Seville is surely on a mission in Tokyo and could finally claim his first individual world medal, and who says it can't be the gold?

Kenny Bednarek

US champion Kenny Bednarek is the second fastest man this season with a time of 9.79s, to win his first national title in the 100m.

While his favourite remains the 200m, the Paris Olympics finalist has proven this year he can also successfully double in the 100m and will not be a pushover.

He may not be the outright favourite for the world title heading to Tokyo, but he surely will be in the mix to at least finish in a podium placement.

UNDERDOGS

An underdog capable of causing one of the biggest upsets in world championship history is T'Mars Mccallum.

The college standout athlete for the University of Tennessee already gave a glimpse of his exceptional talent when he blazed to a second-place finish behind Bednark at the US Championships, clocking a personal best of 9.83s.

As the only rookie in the elite league of the world's best sprinters heading to Tokyo, Mccallum will aim to begin his journey to greatness by upsetting the big names to a surprising victory.

Likewise, British star sprinter Zharnel Hughes is one to keep an eye on, a bronze medallist at the last World Championships in Budapest.