THE ‘BEAST’ HAS EMERGED

‘Objects in your rear-view mirror are a lot closer than they seem.’ It is part advice, part warning for drivers, helping them put things into greater perspective. For the last three years Yohan Blake was always in Usain Bolt’s rear-view mirror but on September 16,2011 Bolt took another peek into that mirror and was shocked at what he saw. Blake was even closer than he believed. Too close.

So as he stood there on the track in Brussels his hand over his mouth in astonishment, Bolt, the man who usually delivers the surprising performances gazed in awe upon the electronic scoreboard at the four numbers there beside Blake’s name – 19.26! Only Bolt’s 19.19 is faster. In his mind he must have been thinking that training will have to start a little earlier next season because pretty soon Blake wont be in that rear-view anymore.

Blake, the Jamaican junior record holder in the 100 metres, joined the Racer’s track club in either late September or early October 2008, just weeks after Bolt won three gold medals all in world record time at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Based on media reports, Blake simply packed his bags and left the home of his former coach Danny Hawthorne of St. Jago High, and went to train under the tutelage of Glen Mills, the man who had over the previous three seasons, harnessed and enhanced Bolt’s amazing talents and made him a triple Olympic champion. Mills was also the man who prepared an 18-year-old Camperdown High School student named Raymond Stewart and got him into the Olympic finals in Los Angeles in 1984.

During his years at St. Jago Blake had shown more than just flashes of brilliance – he was the 2006 Junior Central American and Caribbean (CAC) champion, but in the eyes of many he never realized his full potential. He wanted more. That became obvious almost immediately because from the outset Blake set about working hard. He became Bolt’s shadow. Whether he knew it then or not Blake wanted to be like Bolt. He wanted to be a champion, he wanted to be a star. Over the next three years Blake would promise much. In training he would be right there, a step behind Bolt, pushing the Olympic champion, who began to take notice. Shortly after his exploits at the Olympic Games in Beijing Bolt was being interviewed by Simon Crosskill and Neville Bell on Television Jamaica’s Morning Time and he was asked if there were any athletes out there who he saw as a potential threat. Without giving it a moment’s thought Bolt told them to watch out for Yohan Blake. Blake he said worked like a beast and was there with him step for step in training.

The Morning Time hosts heard but they were not listening to what Bolt was saying. Here was the triple Olympic champion, triple world record holder telling all of Jamaica that there is this kid that was pushing HIM in training. The warning had been sounded but nobody really heard. By the the summer of 2009, Blake’s improvement was becoming apparent. He ran a smart 9.93 in Paris that raised eyebrows. The young talent was beginning to show signs of progress. Another sprinter was emerging to join Bolt, Powell, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter, the latter two who were also making steady progress.

As fate would have it Blake did not make the team to Berlin in 2009. He was among five athletes who were suspended after the urine samples they submitted at the National Championships returned Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) for methylhexamine, a stimulant that was contained in Muscle Speed supplements they innocently took not knowing that it contained a prohibited substance that had only recently made it onto the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of banned substances.

After a protracted and dramatic series of hearings convened by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Agency (JADco) Blake and company were suspended for three months each and were forced to watch from the sidelines as Jamaica snared 13 medals seven of them gold in Berlin, Germany. There, Blake’s training partner Bolt delivered his finest work yet. 9.58s and 19.19s shattering his own world records set in Beijing the year before.

Driven by Bolt’s success and his own hunger for the limelight Blake returned in 2010 and it was as if  he was never away. In August that year he stormed to a personal best 9.89 finishing second to American Tyson Gay in London. He became the fourth Jamaican that year to run under 9.90 seconds following Bolt and Powell 9.82 and Nesta Carter who ran a blistering 9.78 in Rieti, Italy. That run came just a couple of weeks after Blake ran a blistering last 100 metres to come within 0.02 seconds of catching Tyson Gay over the 200 metres in Monaco. 19.76 to 19.78. Blake admitted during an interview on Sportsnation Live on Nationwide radio at the end of that season that he doesn’t run the curve well because when he runs the curve he feels like he is going to fall. That explained his tippy toe approach to the curve in that Monaco run and makes his stretch run even more incredible.

Blake, not yet 22,  showed early signs in 2011 that he was going to something special this season. 9.80s with a 2.2m/s wind in May gave the world a glimpse of what was to come. And while he had not been as impressive over the 200 metres (20.33, 20.38 20.39), with Glen Mills in his ear it was just a matter of time before Blake uncorked something special. With the 100 metres world title in his pocket and a couple of fast 9.82s in Zagreb and Berlin Blake travelled to Brussels brimming with confidence. Many of those who had been following his progression all season long expected a fast time – 19.6xs 0r 19.5x – but what Blake delivered stunned all – even him.

Winning at the world championships helped Blake kick down whatever mental barriers was holding him back. Those fast times that followed gave him fuel for the remainder of the season. Blake reportedly remarked to a friend after his run in Zagreb that he was sad the season was winding down just as he was rounding into some real form.

19.26 means Blake ends the 2011 season with a bang. It also means that Bolt’s rear-view is now filled with Blake’s image. London 2012 beckons and one gets the feeling that if Bolt is not careful he could be in Blake’s rear-view come next summer.

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13 Responses to “THE ‘BEAST’ HAS EMERGED”

  1. Jakan says:

    Still Jamaica mi sey! I was expecting the all hell breaking loose at Daegu world champs. I thought either Blake was going to upset Bolt or push him to do something out of this world. Well providence spared us when Bolt false started.

    I just hope they will be fit and well for London 2012 and Mr Asafa better be there at his finest too. It may just go 1-2-3-4-Jamaica. It went 1-2-3 for the girls before so let’s see how things go. Only 11 months away.

  2. Gerald Williams says:

    It is good to see that Yohan is living up to his potential. He needs to be careful of what he eats and drinks and I am positive thT glen Mills with not let him make that mistake again. Yohan the world is awaiting the clash between you,Bolt, Powell, Tyson gay, Walter Dix and spearmon. The time is now and the price is right, go forward and reap you just reward. I do predict this that next olympics, Jamaica will create history again by finishing 1, 2, 3 in the 100 metre finals.

  3. Sam Cameron says:

    It’s incredible, Jamaicans has the top 4 or 5 fastest 100M times in the world this year and probably 4 or 5 of the top sprinters in the world. How do you explain it? I say talent, ambition, hard work and yellow yam. I would love for someone to take hold of young Blake and school him in the business of marketing himself. Blake and Bolt could become the Ali vs. Frazier of Track and Field. Together they could ride this for the next 5-10 years and make millions. The first thing Blake will need is a name; Beast might be okay but how about “Thunder” to compete against Lightening?

  4. arthur brown says:

    Yohan is running like a wildebeest (wild beast)an animal found in Africa. I love his self given name “The beast”. He has the right attitude, the confidence and the dedication. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate him on his awesome performance this season and to encourage him to pick right where he left off come next season and remember this always, “the same thing it took to reach where you are, is the same thing it is going to take to remain there”.

  5. nai says:

    The kid is doing well his handlers just need to sort out his interviewing techniches so those who don’t understand the jamaican lingua can understand what the kid is saying

  6. kne says:

    Hi Ya,
    Sorry but I am not yet convinced by Blake. Proud and excited, yes, but not totally convinced. Looking forward to it though.

  7. Tony Elvey says:

    Excellent article. Great tracking of the key events. Both Bolt and Mills gave us ample warning that Yohan was bubbling in training and it was just a matter of time. Well, the time has come and I suspect that with his work ethic and deepening confidence his greatness as an athlete could be unmatched in the years ahead. Also, can you imagine the quality of training those two will now put in together? Over, to you Mr.Mills or should that be Sir Mills. I was awaiting his book “Coaching Bolt” I guess we have to review the title.

  8. c blake says:

    This Blake fellow is indeed a beast.He has shook the very foundation of every sprinter who are planning surprises. They have to go through Blake before they can get to the father [usain]. It is going to be a hell ever job even for the likes of Tyson Gay and the other americans who are planning surprises.Blake it is not your time yet to beat the big man, next world championships.However Tyson Gay watch out for the beast.Your #2 status is in serious danger.Asafa goodbye baby.

  9. PLECKY THOMA says:

    im thrill with our athlethics success of recent times but i hope we are grooming and nurturing proteges of mills so that when he is gone we can continue to compete year in and year out.

  10. Rave says:

    This could well be a good time for all good intentioned jamaicans to dig deep and find the courge to laud Usain Bolt and praise the efforts of Yohan Blake with nothing but positive vibes . the world stage is already putting both of them through the grinder. We ajamicans must steer clear of the folly of pitting htem against each other but encourage them to be steadfast and be resolute in their deeds as the color of the flag will be the same for each of them to carry .There is sufficient and more than enough gambling going on, someone has to watch the “Take of the House”. Hardly anything last forever so we pray for them and guide them and see to it that they represent well and beyond . Remember; even skylabs fall from outer space.

  11. Horace Gascott says:

    Yohan Blake’s unbelievable performance may be the best thing that happened to Usain. It was reported that Usain wasn’t getting the most from his talent – a weakness for Kentucky chicken and Guinness, among other things. However, I believe he will devote himself to serious training and discipline and be razor sharp in 2012. I can’t wait. These two extraordinary talent as well the stable of brilliant athletes who form our team make us proud…way to go JA!!!.

  12. Lorenzo says:

    There is a young star in the making Jazeel Murphy. So don’t forget this name, boys and girls.

  13. Paddy-5 says:

    Blake is ready for the world,& next year 100m final is going to be the biggest showdown of all time. Jamaica to the world.

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13 comments so far
levyl Posted by: levyl September 17, 2011 at 11:46 am