Yohan Blake set the world alight on Friday night when he ran a world leading 9.75seconds to win the 100 metres at the National Championships being held to help select Jamaica’s team to the Olympic Games this summer. Blake beat reigning Olympic champion Usain Bolt by more than a tenth of second and in doing so validated his win in Daegu last year, set a new stadium record and threw his hat into the ring as a serious contender for the Olympic 100 metres title.
Following the race you could feel the weight lift of the Bolt bandwagon and shift over to Blake’s. From a national perspective it is wonderful to have four men from Jamaica who have run under 9.80 seconds but don’t feel like Bolt’s reign as the fastest man in history is about to end anytime soon.
From the days when he was St. Jago High everybody knew that Yohan Blake was a special talent. It was during that time that he set a national junior record of 10.11 that still stands. Over the past three years Blake has trained with arguably the best sprint coach in the world, Glen Mills. Mills, who guided a teenage schoolboy to the Olympic finals in 1984 and one Usain Bolt to gold in the sprint double in Beijing and then to world titles in Berlin and Daegu, knows a thing or two about creating great sprinters.
Blake has watched Bolt become a global superstar knowing his time would come soon enough. That day arrived in August last year at the World Championships in South Korea when following Bolt’s false start, Blake grabbed the opportunity with both hands. As world champion Blake has yet to lose and when he took the national title on Friday night, the man he dethroned just happened to be the man he looked up to for the last three years.
However, Bolt is quite done yet. What people fail to realize is that Bolt, who has been struggling with his start for the past couple years, basically stood up in the blocks and then chased down a 9.7 sprinter. How many men in the world could have done that? Once Bolt gets his start back on track he will be back to being the fastest man who ever lived. Blake is fast now, only three men have ever run faster – Bolt, Gay, Powell but until Blake gets below 9.58 Bolt still holds the crown as the fastest man who ever lived. Once he gets his start back in working order he will be as hard. Yes, the pack may have come a little closer in the past two years, but everyone knows that once Bolt is ready he is still the one and only king.
What kind of commentary is this? Until Bolt wins in London, Blake is the king. How can you put down Yohan like that?
We need to remember that that the world changes and so do people. Everyone has their time. A new star is born. Let us give him our support. Congrats Yohan. I always say Asafa is one of the strongest persons around cause we people not easy. Congrats to all the athletes who will so graciously represent Jamaica. I would personally like 123 all the way. I don’t think Asafa, Usain, Nesta any of them are finished yet.
Take nothing from Yohan Blake, but the author is correct until Blake is running the times that Bolt ran or at least defeat him on the highest level The Olympics, Bolt will still be the King of the track!
Couldn’t agree with the author more. True track aficionados recognized that Bolt stood up to run eliminating his drive phase and therefore had to exert greater force to shake a bigger inertia. He could have hurt himself in the process but we are thankful that he did not. For the next four weeks Coach Mills will work to perfect his start so he’ll be fine before the first Olympic heats.
This kid is a fighter and i am not surprised that he would do what he wants if he gets a chance. Nevertheless Bolt is not done and so all my money is on Bolt for the olympics. Bolt has nothing to prove to this young man
Hopefully he gets a lane near to Bolt so he wont escape the stare-down near the finish line from Bolt
Good for Yohan, Bolt is obviously not devoting the required time in his training to correct his weakness. It is good that he got this wakeup call in Jamaica. I also am concerned that he does not have a false start repeat while trying to beat Yohan
Going to be a very interesting men’s and women’s 100 and 200. In my opinion nobody has proven to be a sure bet. Yes, there’s been some fast times, but not continuously from the same person.
I doubt very seriously, that the writer intended to put down Yohan Blake.Blake is a great sprinter based on his performances.All he is saying is,that Bolt has proven himself to be the greatest /fastest man that ever lived.If Bolt is beaten everyday till he dies,until someone runs fater than he has,he will always be the best ever.That said,he is still the man to beat in London!
Personally ,i was disappointed that Usain lost , especially the 200m. Yohan is mi yout’ same way , but i want to see Bolt kill London and after that ‘que sera, sera’.
I still think that will happen as Mr. Mills seem very adroit in these things. With his scope , Usain Bolt needs to peak only once while mere mortals must do it for trials and the olympics. I think that’s what is in play right now and in the process Mr. Bolt gets to dine on a likkle humble pie.
So everything kriss.
I agree with Anthony. As a past student of the Great C’Down, coach Mills knows what he is doing.
If he is not worried about Bolt why should anyone be. All my money is on Bolt, he is the man to beat and is still the fastest run of all time.The beast is a fine sprinter I have watch him over the years but Bolt is the Man.
BOLT WAS NOT SURPRISE WHEN YOHAN BEAT HIM, YOHAN HAS BEEN BEATING BOLT IN 300M THEY RUN IN TRAINING
YOHAN IS BECOMING GREAT SPRINTER AND BEATING BOLT IS NOT EASY,BOLT IS NOT IN GREAT SHAPE FROM HE CAME BACK DIAMOND LEAGUE HE BEEN PARTYING AND BOLT SAID IN AN INTERVIEW HE MUST HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF TRACK AND FIELD AND I AGREE.
BUT EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE IN MODERATION , ITS NOT EASY BEING BOLT WHO MUCH GIVEN MUCH REQUIRED HE BOLT AS NOT LOST RACE IN YEARS. BOLT HAS BEEN BEATING YOHAN SINCE HE CAME TO RACERS TRACK CLUB AND ABOARD BUT NOBODY REMEMBER THE ONE I REMEMBER PLEASE FOLLOW LINK AND SEE IT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAw8IlgeAF8
THIS DID NOT SURPRISE ANY BODY AT RACERS TRACK CLUB BUT YOHAN BLAKE IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPEN BOLT AND TRACK AND FIELD THIS YEAR BECAUSE HE AWAKEN BOLT. I AM CONFIDENT THAT BOLT WILL RUN 9.49SECOND TO WIN 100M AND 200 M 19.12SECS BECAUSE BOLT NEVER HAVE ANYBODY TO PUSH HIM UNTIL BEAST BEAT HIM BAD.
BOLT IS FAR FROM DONE , BEFORE BOLT RAN 9.69 TO WIN THE OLYMPICS 2008 ASAFA POWELL BEAT BOLT IN SWEDEN WEEKS BEFORE THE OLYMPICS AND THAT WAS JUST AFTER BOLT BEAT TYSON IN TIME OF 9.72SECONDS IN MIAMI , PLEASE FOLLOW LINK ASAFA BEAT BOLT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FT7i5EBnkQ
WHEN I SEE THIS RACE EVERYTIME I AM PRAYING THAT ASAFA CAN FIND SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN LONDON SO JAMAICA CAN GET 123 IN 100M FINALS WHAT JOY.
NOBODY WILL NEVER BEAT FIT BOLT, BUT NOT ANY BODY CAN BEAT PARTYING BOLT LETS FACE IT BOLT HAVE TO LIVE, I JUST DONT WANT HIM END LIKE THE TIGER WITH THE 9 IRON , SO JAMAICA WE CANNOT TAKE THE ANYTHING FROM THE BEAST IF BOLT CANNOT GET IT TOGETHER YOHAN THE BEAST WILL BEAT HIM BAD AGAIN. I AM GLAD WE HAVE TWO GREAT SPRINTERS NOW SO IF BOLT PARTY TOO LATE AND DONT GET ENOUGH REST AND TRAIN VERY HARD THE BEAST WILL BEAT HIM BAD AGAIN.
BIG UP THE YOHAN THE BEAST BLAKE THATS HOW YOU BECOME THE BEST YOU MUST BEAT THE BEST. IF THEM PARTY HARD AGAIN SLACK OFF IN TRAINING BEAT HIM BAD AGAIN, BUT BOLT IS VERY LUCKY IF YOHAN DID NOT SHOW HIM HAND YOHAN WOULD CAUGHT BOLT NAPPING AND BEAT IN 100M AND 200M IN LONDON . BOLT NEXT RACE IS IN EUROPE THIS WEEKEND HE WILL RUN A 200M SO WE WILL SEE IF THE FORM HIS BACK.
I know from experience that you cannot be out in night clubs until wee hours and compete in sports it will catch up to you
mr. bolt is just giving his competitors from fariin empty hopes. he is a smart man. big up Mr. Blake I am very proud of him
No one is disrepecting Blake but I wouldn’t count out Bolt just yet. Bolt is still the King of the Track until someone beats his 9.58 record.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING IT!!!!!!…..SEE IT NOW……ITS A BIT LATE BUT……USAIN and YOHAN SHOULD HAVE PARTED WAYS AS TRAINING PARTNERS A LONG TIME AGO…….but hear me now USAIN NEEDS A NEW COACHING TEAM……BELIVE IT OR NOT……AN AMERICAN TRAINER….SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO BEAT JAMAICANS…….because jamaica is now USAINS ENEMY!!!!!…or either yohan goes or his coach goes…he must choose regardless of the perks of training with the enemy…..yes…the enemy,which is how usain needs to start seeing it….because jamaica’s national dish is unofficially UNGRATEFUL SOUP!!!!!
At the recent trials Mills stated that Usain is not in the form where Blake is at the moment.
Question is, What in @$%#….name was Mills and Bolt doing all this time that he is unprepared and when will he be ready just 3 weeks before the Olympics?????????
This is going to be an interesting Olympics. I give a lot of respect to Blake, Powell and all the others who are going to London, however Bolt is the man, the true record holder and I believe he’s going to surprise us all. I don’t believe he gave his all at the Jamaica trials, why do that when you can take the pressure off and continue to iron out the remaining wrinkles before the real show in London. Don’t be surprised if he breaks his own record!
Jamaican ppl 2 jumpy; put things in perspective. Mills n Bolt realised that da Americans r targeting us, so Bolt back off not giving much intelligence away – what’s wrong with that.
Furthermore, its a good time to test out ur PLAN B, if there r false starts in London Bolt use Ja trials as an experiment to find out what wuld b da requirements to sit up in da blocks and run down da field. This Ja finals can b compared 2 da Olympic final, is’nt it; 5th place did 10.07 and 8th place did 10.17 Where else in da world culd u get such quality.
So it was a good experiment.
Jamaican ppl r not good historians they’re 2 JUMPY.
I am s jamaican and I dont care which jamaican shut down justin gatlan thats my desire ever since he came back from his drug bust he has been running his big mouth which irritate’s me so power to yohan blake powell as to shelly ann she has to put a hurt on jeter good luck to my jamaican athletes they are all worth our praise and prayers as small as our country is if we get one gold we should be proud is because we are so good we expect the best all the time
Big up to Blake, Bolt and Powell. I really do not care what order they take the 100 meters in as long as it is ist, 2nd and 3rd…shutting out the Americans Tyson Gay and Gatlin!
If I was Jamaican I would be very concerned about the men’s 100. Jamaica not only have a resurgent and very hungry Justin Gatlin (whom Jamaican’s love to hate)and fast improving and healed Tyson Gay. Don’t forget recent youngster 6’5 Ryan Baily to contend with. There’s also Trinidad’s Keston Bledman who gave Blake a run for his money in New York (watch the video if you don’t believe me). The women’s 100 is totally up for grabs. Frazier ran fast in Jamaica but can she maintain that same form in London. The women’s 200 hmm… I’m from the US so I’m leaning towards A.Felix and C. Jeter. Felix is more consistent over 200m. I would love to see Jamaica have more men convert from the 100m to 400m because we could see more interest in that event as well, where the US still dominate including the 4×400. There’s even more up and coming US 400m runners in high school that have run in the low 45′s.
Also those Jamaican’s that love making excuses for Bolt please stop! There’s nothing worse than a sore loser!! Everybody lose sometimes! All I keep hearing, he was hurt, he party too much…blah blah blah!!! He lost…PERIOD!!!
Yes, we should be worried about Bolt. This was not a strategy being played out at the trials. You could clearly see that he was not focused, seemed more like disoriented or whatever was going on with him.
Take the men’s 100m semifinals for instance,he literally was left napping in the blocks and barely got out of the blocks when the runners were about 10 meters or so out. He should thank his lucky stars that he was able to catch Lerone and company on the finish line. If anyone of these runners had found a different gear that night,he would have been left off that team.
As one blogger had said something must be wrong with his hearing.
In that case,maybe Mills & company should check his hearing to see if any damage was done from all that loud-music-clubbing.
Lastly, Mr. Mills tell him to stop yapping so much to the media,just spilling all his weaknesses.
Tough as nails has to be crazy. Bolt lost to Blake so what?The race that counts will be in London.As to his comment about Gatlin,Gatlin is not the only one who is hungry.It seems funny that Gatlin has become the fair haired boy,and Bolt is supposed to be washed up.How can any sane person say Bolt is washed up at 25 yrs old,but Gatlin at 29 and coming off a 4 yr suspension has found enough new life to be the man to watch?Has Gatlin run any times close to Bolts times when it counts?If Bolt is healthy and focused he is still the one to beat.Hopefully Tyson Gay has recovered,as he will add spice to the pot.A healthy Gay is valid,Gatlin is not!
Hmmm FYI the trend you are all seeing now is not unsual this is the same bolt from back in school always needing something or some one to motivate him i guess now he has the opportunity to claim that legend status he craves for he must now achieve these two feats. in order to be that (1) beat yohan (2) beat his worl records NUFf SAID!!
Said earlier that my Jamaican ppl are too jumpy. Have u heard of precedents, well the same experiment Bolt tried in da Jamaican trials of sitting up in da blocks not getting low enough comming out and try to run down a quality field is also played out by Tyson Gay yesterday in Paris.
U can never take anything 4 granted thats y athletes train and try out various scenarios. What if we have not 1 but 2 false start in London, what will da athletes do, how will it affect their mental state, how will they get out of da blocks?
I’m afraid only those who practise da scenarios will be comfortable, Usain tried it @ our trials amongst a quality field (comparable to da finals)by sitting up in his blocks to c what’s da requirements to catch-up and pip them. Bow we’ve seen Tyson done it in Paris came from way behind and pip cheater Gatlin just 5 metres to da line.
So we shuld be commending Usain and da innovative Mills for their bravery in experimentation by setting training precedents for super athletes such as Tyson Gay to follow.
Cheater Gatlin huh?…o.k., we can live with that. But wait..didn’t your hero’s Yohan Blake and Shelly Ann Frazier get caught for cheating. So let’s not go there.
@ Tough as Nail, before you open your BIG American MOUTH, of which most your country people are good at. Please get your facts straight. With the exception of Yohan’s infraction. Why dont you explain in detail where Shelly- Ann Fraser then now Price cheated.
Now I did not know by taking PAIN-KILLING tabels, coincides CHEATING. Is’nt said in your case. That you’re blogging in a NEWS-PAPER where you’re out-blogged about 98%.When it comes to performing inhancing drugs. Your country is No:1, involing every played sports outside of SOCCER.
So in reality what I am saying your argurement or objections to other country athletes dont hold any merit. Just do an atheletic research in regards to OLYMPICS as far as you can remember involving American CHEATS. And when you do admit that your country is No:1 in this regard. Then you can civilized post your hate and negativity of us dominating the so- called SUPER-POWER/police of the WORLD. And just a reminder in case you forget. We own you and America in BOTH Women and men sprints. Too bad if you and the rest like the likes of you get sick after the damages that will be done by our athletes to yours. Enjoy LONDON with a SOUR and disqusted expression on your face, during the unslaught!
Bolt is the best and everyone has thier challenges and he will overcome and set a new record. he is that good so do not underestimate him.
Bolt will win the gold in London but he is going to have to run the race of his life because he is nowhere near the shape that he was in 4 years ago, probably win with a time of 9.62 while blake with get another PB with 9.69.
Usain is far from done he just have to put in the training right now he is jumping at every opportunity to make money by doing endorsement and so on which i don’t really blame him for. Go team Jamaica
“Tough as Nails” Please get a life! If you are a skillled reader, then read the true facts about Shelly and Yohan’s minor indiscretions. You appear to be an angry person
TOugh as Nails:
Gatlin tested positive for steroid and was banned for four years. Shelly Ann and Blake for banned ingredient in a drug- cold medicine and oxycodone – pain killer – not steroids big difference. Galtin should have never been allowed to re-enter the sport. As a matter of fact- most of the Americans even his own team mates do not like him or want to associate with him. Sponsor dare not give him a commercial. He needs to be more humble coming back to the sport. Tyson Gay is such a humble guy and I have a lot of respect for him – Gatlin – no way.
Bolt was injured in his recent car accident on Half-Way Tree road and as a result is suffering from a back injury. That what Mills was hinting when he stated that Bolt has a slight problem.
It’s well know among the the Jamaica track and field people about Bolt’s problem but nobody will go public about it. And you should know the reason(s).
Bolt has never and will never get out the starting blocks better than his fiercest
rivals in either the 100 or 200 meters.
At this point I would not bet that he can successfully defend his Olympic titles in London.
Bolt was injured in his recent car accident on Half-Way Tree road and as a result is suffering from a back injury. That is what Mills was hinting when he stated that Bolt has a slight problem.
It’s well know among the the Jamaica track and field people about Bolt’s problem but nobody will go public about it. And you should know the reason(s).
Bolt has never and will never get out the starting blocks better than his fiercest
rivals in either the 100 or 200 meters.
At this point I would not bet that he can successfully defend his Olympic titles in London.
BEST OF BRITISH LUCK TO ALL THE JAMAICAN RUNNERS. HOWEVER, I WANT USAIN BOLT TO LISTEN DAILY TO “ONE MOMENT IN TIME” WHITNEY HOUSTON RIP FOCUS AND GET HIS INSPIRATION, AND AS THEY SAY THE REST WILL BE HISTORY. I KNOW HE CAN DO IT.
Yea da problem I have with da USA cheaters is that they’re so up in our faces, they’re not humble. Look at ur Sydney Olympics women 100m winner – she was so up in our faces as if it was real and legit. When she got found out all hell broke lose.
I can be forgiving to anybody who tested positive once – I’ll give u a 2nd chance, but twice and u shuld be expelled from da sports and not even allowed to have an athletics coach liscence.
As 4 cheater Gatlin he’s lucky, it must be politics y he was allowed back in da sport, and knowing all of this that’s y he shuld be humble – but not he. U remember that he was’nt even allowed to compete in Europe’s elite meets, and everybody knows that.
if usain bolt ever find back that 9.58 form in london the rest of the field including the beast is going to be running for the minor placing . am not taking nothing away from blake but you can clearly see that bolt wasn,t no where close to anyone of his world record form at the jamaica trial.
Bolt will come second in both the 100m and 200m to Blake at Olympic 2012 in August.This is because the level of conditioning required by him to beat Blake is not possible to attained in little over a month period.The big competition is third place in the 100M anyone else in the final can get it Asafa or any of the three Americans or the Frenchman Christopher.
Why make excuses for people that get caught for cheating because it was some dental stuff or whatever. Shelly Ann Frasier was caught, Yohan Blake was caught and yes Justin Gatlin was caught. Cheating is cheating, whether you’re caught and suspended for one day or four years. Stop hating on other people (especially sprinters) because they’re not from your Country and were caught for cheating. When you’re caught once or one hundred times it’s still cheating. I wonder how many people out there taking jabs at these athletes and have cheated on school exams broke the law or cheated on anything in life and were never caught. I hope Justin Gatlin wins the Gold Medal because he has so many haters out there and then dance all over the place and do stuff his haters don’t like.
80% of da 1984 USA olympic team was highly suspected of massive drugs take. We here in da UK ran a documentary on what happened in LA in 1984 and through deep research has unearthed a lot of evidence that was quieted by da USA politicians.
Da xcuse was that they wuld be too embarrassed bcaus da olympics was in LA @ da time. 80% of da athletes had high traces of DIURETICS in their URINE SAMPLES – and diuretics is used as a drugs masking agent. Da USA authorities found a convienient way to suppress da whole matter and got rid of da samples. Thats y ppl like Ben, Christie n others start taking drugs bcaus they found out that da playing field was’nt level.
Da E.German world records needs to be erased, also Mike Powell’s absurd Long Jump record, and b4 I 4get FLO JO’s, no wonder she died of heart related conditions. Today da E. Germans and many E. European female athletes of da 80′s are turning into MAN bcaus of former tetosterone drugs abuse.
So da USA are perennial drugs cheat u cant win anything without drugs also Carl Lewis was implicated and ur so-called 7 times Tour De France winner (Amstrong).
Recently – LeShawn Merrit, Rodgers (male 100m), Debbie Dunn. Do u want me to continue?
Umm..some of you guys don’t get it. I said, cheating is cheating no matter what nation the athlete represent. It’s bad for the sport and bad for the fans.
@John Anderson. Flo Jo or Mike Powell was never convicted of drugs even though you want that. I know of other absurb records out there right now and the athlete’s are still competing. Is that how you measure if someone are using performance enhancing drugs? If they set a world record with an absurd performance? Wait until people are convicted, it wouldn’t be cool even then to hate on them.
I am a Jamaican living in the UK and i am extreamly happy and proud that over the years the land of my birth has produce such fine athletes competing at the highest level, not to mentioned that the fastest man in the world is from Jamaica absolutely brillant. Now i know how some of us Jamaicans are , we like to jump ship , once we see any signs of things not working too well. I am very happy for Blake and what he has acheive in the sports , to be honest he is still a jamaican and all his recent acheivements is good for his confidence , has we jamaican people seh wha drop off a head drop pan shoulder , meaning if and if Usain does not win i would really want Blake to win both heats , however , lets not fool ourselves now , Bolt is the fastest man in the world , dont you all think he will be doing everything to retain his crowns, and let me answer for you all a big YES . As i say happy for Blake , but the King Bolt will be at the control comes 100 and 200 meters races LOL Bolt i am sure you will win an guess wha gi them de dance oops .
@Tough as Nail!Are you related to any JAMAICAN FAMILIES?. Or, do you just wanted to be considered as one of our associate, or trying to be accepted within our company as a BLOGGER in a Jamaican paper.
I wold advise you to be very careful what you say then inreards to our Jamaican athletes.Ok. Ifyou want to be friendly avoid criticizing US.Becase we Jamaicans dont play that. We also are aware that a HIGH% of Americans dont like US irrespective of color. The worst scenerio is when they find out we are Ja,cans.
Now your country is the UNDISPUTED champ when it comes to having the EDGE. And the only applied solution from umteen years is cheating. Of which America is still appling through whatsoever means. For your info Gatlin cant, and will not WIN the gold in the OLYMPIC mens 100 METERES
Now if you need a monetary BET from $1000-$10,000 CDN. I will take you upon that. Put your money where your mouth is blabbing.
You need to improve your comprehension skills Daady Shane. I never said Blake was around in 1984, I said Mills guided a schoolboy. That schoolboy just happens to be Raymond Stewart. It is you who needs to check your facts and your history.
@ Milo calm down it’s a sport, it has no impact on your purpose in life.
Out of many we are all one. Black,yellow and green is all i care.1st, 2nd and 3rd would be a superior scenario. JAMAICA 4 EVER!!!!!!
Well well Bolt did it in both events, he defended his titles. SHHHHHHHHHHHHH a dat him seh hahahaa whoiiiiiiiiiiiiiii mi gut.
I know Glen Mills did a good job with Bolt,but I think that Pablo McNeil’s name should also be mentioned knowing that Pablo was the one who found and nutured Bolt until about the age of 16years old.