by RBR Admin
Yohan Blake, photo by PhotoRun.net
After two years of juggling injuries, Yohan Blake is back. In the cold and wind of Herzogenaurach, Germany , Blake ran 10.03, telling us afterwards, with a smile, ” I did not feel my legs.”
Then he ran 9.94 in Kingston last week, and the world was, for Yohan Blake, suddenly, a better place.
Yohan Blake took the athletics world by storm in 2011, when he won the 100 meters at the World Champs in Daegu. You remember that one, Usain Bolt had a brain fart, and false started, and was out. Yohan Blake kept his cool, and ran down 2003 World Champ Kim Collins, who took the bronze.
In 2012, Yohan Blake took silver medals in both the 100 meters and 200 meters in London, coming behind only one guy, Usain Bolt. You know him, the fastest guy in the world. Well, just a short time ago, in an interview, Usain Bolt told the assembled media that the heir apparent to Mr. Bolt-who will retire after London 2017-is Yohan Blake.
“I need some 100 meters races right now,” is how Yohan Blake phrased it. ” But I will be going back to the 200 meters. I built my endurance over the winter and right now, Coach and I think I need some speed.”
In 2013-2014, Yohan Blake dealt with a difficult hamstring injury. In 2014, at the Glasgow DL, the injury put him on the track, in the middle of a 100 meters.
To come back to a level where one has run 9.69 for the 100 meters and 19.26 for the 200 meters is no mean feat. The work to rebuild is brutal, not only the body, but the mind. If one appreciates the mortal engine that we possess, we know that it may take more of a series of special skills to recover and rebuild from injuries than to reach the level of excellence the first time.
Well, Yohan Blake is well on his way to the return to the big time. He believes in himself and he has a supportive team. He has run 10.03 and 9.94 so far this year and is just waiting to run a fast 200 meters.
This weekend, Yohan Blake will race the 100 meters on the new Mondo track made especially for the adidas BOOST Boston Games, the second of the BOOST games sponsored by adidas this year.
The adidas BOOST Boston Games are the new event that came out of the demise of adidas NYC Games. adidas wanted to reach out a new generation of track fans. With the adidas BOOST Boston Games, they have taken old school and mixed it with new school 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters and 5000 meters featured on Friday night, June 17, at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville. On Saturday, adidas is taking it to the streets, in Boston, on Boylston and Charles Street. All of the details cane be found at @adidasBOOSTBOS on Facebook!
Look for Yohan Blake to run fast, as he is just getting into the groove. I have been there for most of Yohan’s fast races, and most of his tough ones as well. It will sure be fun to see Yohan Blake, a stronger, more mature athlete, come off the turn in the 200 meters and just blast the straightaway.
But, that dear friends, is about nine weeks away!
This weekend, watch Yohan Blake race the 100 meters at 6:20 PM, on June 18 on Charles Street! Be there early, as he will be by in a flash!
