The 2025 season reminded everyone why men’s sprinting remains one of the most interesting and fascinating sectors in the sport of Athletics. From youngsters breaking into the scene to veterans holding their ground, the year delivered standout moments one after the other. This is our list of the Top 10 Male Sprinters who shaped the global stage in 2025, starting with Part 1 (Nos. 10 – 6).
10. Bayapo Ndori
Over the years, Bayapo Ndori has risen to the position of a leader, making himself one of Botswana’s finest athletes in recent times. Ndori had a fulfilling season which was crowned with a maiden individual global medal.
After having a fine start in the early phases of his season with victories in the ASA Grand Prix and Botswana Grand Prix where he registered fast times of 44.59 and 44.35s respectively, he built on that entering into the global circuit, winning the Xiamen Diamond League in a Season’s Best (SB) of 44.25, and finishing 2nd in 44.32s at the Kezqiao Diamond League.
However, Ndori witnessed a slight drop in performance as the season progressed, finishing outside the top-3 in his races. The setback was put to a halt when he placed 2nd at the Zurich Diamond League Grand Final in 44.40s.
A fortnight later, the Motswana was at the World Championships in Tokyo as one of the most experienced members of his team, and he led by example, winning the Bronze medal in an SB of 44.20s, improving on his placement from the Oregon edition in 2022, where he came in 6th. Three days later, he ran a fantastic third leg to hand Botswana an iconic GOLD medal in the men’s 4x400m.
9. Bryan Levell
Bryan Levell is the latest member of the resurgent Jamaican sprinting dynasty, after a massive decline that got the world wondering and awaiting the island’s return.
Being a part of the Silver-winning Jamaican mixed 4x100m quartet at the World Relays served as a confidence booster for the youngster as he improved tremendously.
At the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, he clocked a 19.79s, which caught global attention despite it being wind-assisted. Two weeks later, he clocked a Personal Best (PB) of 9.94s at the Jamaican Trials in the semifinals but opted out of the final and scratched the 200m.
Levell went on to show more of his domineering presence at the European circuit; emerging victorious with a huge PB of 9.82s in the 100m at the Austrian Open and blazing to another PB of 19.69s at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in the 200m.
Making his maiden World Championships appearance, the Jamaican made a massive statement. He became the first male Jamaican sprinter to medal in the 200m at the World Championships since Usain Bolt in 2015, winning Bronze in 19.84s.
8. Kenny Bednarek
In the past five seasons, Kenny Bednarek has proven to be one of the most consistent sprinters over the 200m, having made every global final appearance since 2021. However, this season, Bednarrek decided to challenge himself a lot more by attempting the double at the World Championships.
He opened his campaign quite strongly, dominating the Grand Slam Track Meet in Kingston, where he claimed victory in the 100m and 200m in 10.05s and 20.07s respectively. At the Miramar Invitational, he clocked an SB of 19.84s to win the 200m. He posted a similar performance in the 100m but this time around, it was a wind-aided time of 9.79s. In May, Bednarek was a part of the US men’s 4x100m quartet that claimed Silver at the World Relays.
Three months later at the US Trials, Bednarek won the men’s 100m in a PB of 9.79s and placed 2nd in the 200m in 19.67s. At the World Championships, he came in 4th place over the 100m, bagged Silver in the 200m, and GOLD in the 4x100m.
7. Jereem Richards
Trinidad and Tobago’s pride, Jereem Richards’ season was the perfect definition of perseverance after narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal to win his first global individual medal since 2017.
Richards was a part of the headliners of the Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston, where he finished 6th in an SB of 45.35s and 2nd in the 200m in 20.81s. At the Miami leg, he clocked his 3rd fastest time to win the 200m in 19.86s, followed by a 2nd place finish in the 400m in 44.32s.
In the Diamond League circuit, he placed 5th and 6th in the 200m at the Eugene and Monaco editions respectively. In his last meet before the World Championships, he finished 2nd in an improved SB of 44.14s at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial.
Saving the best for last, the Trinbagonian ended his season in style by blazing to a terrific 43.72s to win the Silver medal in the 400m, bettering his National Record (NR) and PB in the process in Tokyo
6. Kishane Thompson
After an impactful last season where he ended Jamaica’s men’s Olympic sprints medal drought since Rio 2016, Kishane Thompson came prepared for what the season had in store for him.
Thompson started things off with a 2nd finish placement in the 100m with an SB of 9.99s at the Kezqiao Diamond League. A month later, he clocked a huge SB of 9.88s to win the Racers Grand Prix. Two weeks later, Thompson was in action at the Jamaican Trials where he had a superb performance, running a 9.80s in the semis then going to win the title in a World Leading (WL) time of 9.75s.
In readiness for the World Championships, the reigning Olympic Silver medallist competed at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial and Silesia Diamond League, emerging victorious in both occasions across the 100m.
Thompson replicated his position from the Olympics, holding on to Silver in 9.82s behind compatriot Oblique Sevile.
