by Larry Eder
Yohan Blake, Monaco, 2011, photo by PhotoRun.net
When Yohan Blake won the 2011 World Champs, after Usain Bolt was DQed from the 100 meters, his life changed forever. The year 2011 saw two golds: at the 100 meters and in the 4 x 100 meter relays.
In 2012, Yohan Blake took silver medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters and a gold on the Jamaican 4 x 100 meter relay team.
In 2013, Yohan Blake suffered through tough injuries and just did not come around. His fast times of 9.69 (2012) and his blinding 19.26 (2011) make it very, very clear. At this time, Yokan Blake, aka the Beast, is the SECOND fastest man in the world.
No worries.
Yohan Blake gets that, and handles it with aplomb. Yohan’s time, as his friend and rival, Usain Bolt, will tell you, will come.
And Yohan Blake knows that.
But Yohan Blake is like any other guy out there. He likes to do well. He likes to win. So, 2014, has been just a bit of pain the backside.
Fast Times: Yohan Blake after his sizzling 9.69 in 2012 in Zurich, photo by PhotoRun.net
Yohan has had some injury issues, and he is not where he wants to be. His WR run with his team in the 4 x 200 meters in May woke some folks up. His 4x100m relay also won in the World Relays. But his season bests: 10.21 in the 100 meters and 20.48 in the 200 meters tell it all: Yohan Blake probably needs four or five more races.
” Races allow me to get my start better, work on my race, and get confidence.” noted a smiling Yohan Blake, to my question during the media frenzy that surrounds Mr. Blake. It was actually much easier today, but the British and Scottish newspapers were all here today, so Yohan’s time was taken up about the Commonwealth Games (he is not running) and his frustrating season.
At the adidas Grand Prix, on June 14, Yohan had a poor start, and was beat by Nesta Carter in a slow time. The crowd was shocked. Heck, I had to clean my glasses. I thought I was hallucinating.
Cubie Segoban, Yohan Blake’s manager was smiling today. Cubie does not smile often. Old school, Cubey worries out loud sometimes, about his athletes and knows that Yohan Blake is going through a slow patch. But, three decades in the sport, will tell you, Yohan Blake is special and he will come back, very fast.
In Lausanne on July 3, Yohan Blake came off the turn in contention with Alonzo Edward and Nickel Ashmeade in the 200 meters. But, Yohan Blake just did not have the next three gears he needed and faded back to sixth. It surprised France’s Christophe Lemaitre so much that I watch Lemaitre look over at Blake, before the young French sprinter passed Blake, as if asking for permission.
Yohan Blake handles this stuff with panache, but, he is a twenty four year old, proud Jamaican man, born the day after Christmas 1989. Yohan does not like to loose, and, that is not just okay, it is darn important.
The sport of athletics measures you two ways: your place at the finish of your competition, and the length, time or distance of how you run, jump or throw.
The great Australian distance runner, Ron Clarke, called it the Unforgiving Minute.
For Yohan Blake, it is the unforgiving Nine point something or Nineteen point something seconds.
And those times, for Yohan Blake, will come back.
Yohan Blake, aka the BEAST, is the real thing.
Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt, Monaco, 2011, photo by PhotoRun.net
