LEAVE BOLT AND BLAKE ALONE

Ever since Yohan Blake became world champion in Daegu, South Korea last year, people, Jamaicans especially began speculating about whether he and Usain Bolt could co-exist at the Racers Track Club. Both men are coached by sprinting guru Glen Mills.

People began to ask whether or not Bolt would be happy that Blake would be getting more attention from Mills or whether he would want more time for himself. More recently, since Blake defeated Bolt twice at the national championships at the end of June, the chatter has intensified with many asking “How is it possible for both men to exist, to thrive with the same coach’? Some people have even gone as far as to suggest that one of them needs to leave Racers. That wasn’t enough for some critics of both men being trained by Mills so they have started to suggest that competing against each other, now that Blake has a leg up on the world record holder, will eventually cause a rift in the relationship between the two.

I laugh when I hear this silly chatter that obviously come from people who have absolutely no idea that having two world class sprinters in the same club is nothing new.

Back in 1979, a young Carl Lewis joined the Santa Monica Track Club in California. The club would come to have Olympic stars like Joe DeLoach, Leroy Burrell (who between himself and Lewis broke the 100-metre world record four times), Mike Marsh, Danny Everett and others who between them won about 18 Olympic gold medals and more than a dozen world championship medals between them. Lewis alone won nine Olympic gold medals. All these athletes co-existed quite fine and achieved fantastic success. In fact, the club still holds the world record for the 4x200m relay.

Fast forward a decade or so and we find that Maurice Greene, multiple world championship gold medallist and Ato Boldon, Commonwealth Games Champion and world champion trained together for many years. They were also good friends and I believe they remain so to this day.

Contrary to the thinking about the two sprinters both men are fine and will be fine. Bolt, I know, will be hoping to exact revenge on Blake during the Olympics but he knows that Blake will not be a pushover. Bolt will know he has to run close to 9.60 or break his own world record of 9.58 to keep Blake at bay. Similarly, Blake knows what it will take to beat Bolt. He knows that he will have to be on top of his game if he is to prevent his friend and in many ways, mentor, from becoming the first man to defend his 100-metre title on the track at the Olympics.

Jamaica is fortunate to have two of the fastest men in history co-existing within the same camp and four of the five fastest men of all time. Instead of trying to rip them apart we should be doing everything possible to keep them together in the same environment that spawned their success.

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14 Responses to “LEAVE BOLT AND BLAKE ALONE”

max says:

July 24, 2012 at 11:06 am

Why as a people we love conflict and divisiveness?These two fine young men are Jamaicans and we should just give them our love and support and not try to build a rift between them. This is not politics where one Jamaican kill another because he/she is a PNP or a JLP which is a very stupid thing to do. Let us stop the strife and move forward as a peopl
Messengjah says:

July 24, 2012 at 10:49 pm

Carl Lewis’ gold medals are at best tainted. Back then the USA T&F policed itself and there weren’t the testing strictures that obtain today, so that all of his infractions resulted in only taps on his wrists.
dallo says:

July 25, 2012 at 8:16 am

The questions are legit, given human nature. It depends on their respective personalities and of course their maturity. Bolt is more talented so if he gets out-worked by yohan he can’t complain. It’s all about the kind of shape he’s in.
Chuck says:

July 25, 2012 at 12:43 pm

I don’t believe either is more talented than the other. It’s a toss-up who will win on any given day.
jahguide says:

July 25, 2012 at 5:31 pm

It is a psysiological game. This is what the outsiders want to see!!! among us! strife!!! we are all Jamaicans!!! Naturally Bolt will definately, go out hard to defend his Title. On the other hand, Blake is hungry to break Bolt’s record!! Its all in sportsmanship to be competitive, and also to be the best!! Bolt! Blake! either Jamaicans!! United we stand divided we fall!!!!!!!!!!! Lets come togeather as Jamaican and keep out the force of negative, unwanted strife and behavior!! After all!! “Out of many one people”. We are the Jamaicans.
Jo Bent says:

July 25, 2012 at 7:36 pm

Are’nt we all JAs Y not root for all our athletes? its this kind of pitting one against the other that causes the political & Tribalist
divide, theres no place in sports for that, these R the same ppl who will build them up then mow them down with their mouths.
Lets wish them alllll the best
Brilly Gee says:

July 26, 2012 at 4:24 am

Since Bolt won the Olympic medals alot of his time has been taken with promotions! Making adverts for various sports products, several dedication ceremonies,and building a business for himself! His focus was very far from the track during this time! So it was quite easy for Yohan to steal the spotlight! While Usain was sleeping Yohan was toiling! I’m only glad they are both Jamaicans!No matter what “We run Things”
Jag guide says:

July 26, 2012 at 5:27 am

Come on Jamaicans!!! This is a psychological , game the outsiders are using to build strive among us Jamaicans! Bolt, Blake!! United we stand! Divided we will fall! After all this” Out of many one people”. We are the Jamaicans!! And our motto for this 2012 Olympic game is “DOMINANCE “
harold brown says:

July 30, 2012 at 4:32 am

please dont put any division beteween our boys
we are looking for 1st,2nd,3rd in the 100m,200m
1st,2nd many more medal to come.JAMAICA WI NAME
JAMAICA WI SAY.COME ON YOU YARD FOLKS YES WE CAN. JAMAICA JAMAICA JAH-MEK-YAH.
harold brown says:

July 30, 2012 at 4:39 am

LICK DEM WITH A LIGHTING BOLT,BIG UP ALL JAMAICAN AND OUR REGULAR VISITORS TO OUR ISLAND
JAM ROCK WE SAY.COME RAIN,COME SUN WE WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT THE COLOURS.PLEASE DONT PUT ANY DIVISION STRESS ON OUR PEOPLE,SO HOLD YOUR
CORNER.
Leonardo says:

August 5, 2012 at 10:11 am

Bolt will win this race in 9:48,lost we loss them
Titch says:

August 9, 2012 at 8:38 am

Easy Easy Pass Dem LOL
petro b says:

August 10, 2012 at 5:32 pm

I have always admired Bolt but what he did yesterday ignoring the BBC reporter to honour the kenyan anthem and clap for Rudisha has just made me respect him more. what a gesture from Bolt ( he turned his back at the BBC reporter,one of the best moments in olympic history ) to respect an african athlete,if the American anthem was being played the BBC reporter would not have dared do what he did when the kenyan anthem was being played. this is a contribution in the kenyan newspaper.:the daily nation, yesterday
mel says:

August 14, 2012 at 10:45 am

I dont know why you people talk about bolt so much, is he the only jamaican in London that make us proud.He is wonderful i love him but there are others that make us proud we got 12 medal Both only got two, give the other some tumbs up.