Former 100m World Champion and world’s second-fastest man Yohan Blake has not quite given up on the idea of returning to dominate sprinting, despite an underwhelming performance at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
The 32-year-old Blake was once considered the heir apparent to celebrated compatriot Usain Bolt. In fact, it is Blake that still holds the second-fastest times over both the 100 and 200m sprints. Devasting injuries, which happened to the sprinter in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, however, largely curtailed that promise and left the sprinter unable to step into the void. In a barren stretch of results, Blake has gone without a medal since the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Since the 2012 Olympics, the athlete has finished outside of the medals at the last four major championships and failed to make the final at the last two.
Despite the lack of success in recent seasons, however, Blake is feeling confident of a late-career revival this season, on the back of a decent showing at the Birmingham Diamond League last week. The Jamaican finished second in the men's 100m, clocking 10.18 behind Canadian Aaron Brown who took top spot in 10.13.
“I think I took it too easy at the end and didn't see the guy in lane 8. I was focused forward. It was challenging because it was cold. The two false starts were tough but I am used to dealing with these things. I am feeling good after coming back. I want to stay hard to beat and move from being second fastest in the world to be fastest,” Blake said following the race.
“I have been here before and I am used to the pressure. I am looking forward to the trials and getting back to my best and challenging the American top sprinters. I have done it before and can do it again.”
Lyssons Primary retain INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits National Primary Schools Athletics Championships title
Lyssons Primary of St Thomas easily retained their INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits National Primary Schools Athletics title and walked away with a whopping $500,000 at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Lyssons amassed 188 points and were well clear of the St Catherine-based teams Spanish Town (168), Naggo Head (160) and Greater Portmore (105). Harbour View of St Andrew completed the top 5 with 88.5 points.
Lyssons, who won the regional Eastern championship and pocketed $250,000 has now garnered $750,000 for their efforts while Spanish Town, who won the Central title but finished second here, collected $250,000 and $500,000 overall.
Naggo Head collected $200,000 for third while the teams finishing fourth to tenth will get $100,000 each.
The impressive Jevaney Findlay of Spanish Town and Shaquan Reid of Glen Stuart were the Male champions with 18 points while Danelia Clarke of St Patrick’s and Shanayah Jacques of Red Hill were the female overall champions.
Findlay, who has all the high school scouts at his doorstep, won the 200m in style, stopping the clock at 24.63 running into a headwind of -2.1 mps as the record of 24.02 held by Christopher Taylor since 2012 remained intact.
Daniel Buchanan of St Jude’s Primary was second in 26.28 ahead of Andre Genus of Mountainside Primary (26.45).
Clarke captured the girls’ 200m in 26.44 ahead of Rihanna Scott of Rock Hall in 26.60. Chelseann Samuels of Half Way Tree Primary was third in 27.01.
Woodlands Primary secured their first gold courtesy of Rihanna Gayle in the girls Class Two 200m.
Gayle who was sixth in the 100m on Friday, won comfortably in 27.62 (-3.4) ahead of Shanice Williams of Greater Portmore (27.95). Lyssons’ Khalia Raymond was third in 28.10.
Rousseau Primary’s Deandre Parker struck gold in the boys’ Class Two 200m in 26.85 (-2.8), denying Daniel Glave of Red Hills Primary who was second in 27.10, the 400, 200m double. Mercado Williams of Naggo Head was third in 27.13.
Red Hills Primary secured another win as Shanayah Jacques won the Class Three 150m in 21.08 (2.2). Sarah McDonald of Naggo Head was second in 21.39.
Shaquwan Reid of Glen Stuart Primary won the Class Three boys 150m in 20.55 (-3.3) ahead of Davere Walker of Lyssons (20.64). Zidon Morgan of Ascot Primary was third in 21.25.
John Mills showed that they are doing something right in the vertical jumps following Sanique Watt’s victory in the girls’ section and Daquan Dawk’s win in the boys’ equivalent with a leap of 1.54m. Jamar Edwards of Lyssons was second with 1.49m.
In the girls 70m hurdles event, John Mills continued their good form, securing the quinella as Rememha Dixon won in 11.86 and was followed home Kayla Lewis in 12.04.
Hanif Jones of Glen Stuart won boys’ 70 hurdles in 10.74 (-2.0) ahead of Nique Barnes of Naggo Head in 10.77. Daquan Dawkins of John Mills was third in 11.45.
In an impressive display of speed and endurance, Obrian Clarke of Glen Stuart Primary won the boys 800m open in 2:22.76, well clear of Jaylon Campbell of Polly Ground Primary in second with 2:27.50. Rajuan Morgan of Carisbrook Primary finished third in 2:28.16.
Lyssons’ Christassia Pearce took the girls’ 800m in 2:32.60 in a close battle with Renica Coombs of Spanish Town (2:32.76). Christina Clarke of Harbour View was third in 2:35.43.
Spanish Town won the Sprint Medley in 2:00.45 and was just outside the record of 1:58.56 held by New Providence since 2012. Lyssons was some way back in 2:07.48 after battling the winners until the last 200m before fading. St Richards’ closed fast and finished third in 2:07.48.
New Providence struck gold in the 4x200m relay winning in 1:53.20 and held off Naggo Head who were second in 1:53.45. St Patrick’s finished third with 1:53.61.
Fittingly the outstanding boy athlete of the meet, Jevaney Findlay secured his third gold running a scorching second leg setting the stage for an easy win for Spanish Town in the final event, the boys’ 4x200m in 1:47.31.
Naggo Head was second with 1:48.08 and third went to St Jude’s Primary with 1:49.07.
Ackeem Blake runs 9.89 pb to win 100m at USATF LA Grand Prix; Sean Bailey (44.43) and Marileidy Paulino (48.98) also run lifetime bests to secure 400m wins
Jamaicans Sean Bailey, Ackeem Blake and the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino all achieved lifetime bests to come out on top in their respective events on day two of the 2023 USATF LA Grand Prix at the UCLA Drake Stadium in California on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Bailey, younger brother of Olympic and World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, produced a career-best 44.43 to chase down Grenadian Olympic and World Champion, Kirani James, who had about a five-meter lead over Bailey heading into the final 100m of the race.
James’s time in second was a season’s best 44.50 while Quincy Hall was third in 45.09.
Paulino, the Olympic and World Championship silver medallist, produced a new national record and world leading 48.98 to win ahead of Salwa Eid Nasser (50.27) and Lynna Irby Jackson (50.38).
Puerto Rican defending Olympic Champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran a world leading 12.31 to win the 100m hurdles ahead of Americans Keni Harrison (12.35) and Tia Jones (12.50).
Trinidadian World Indoor 400m Champion and Commonwealth Games 200m Champion, Jereem Richards, ran a season’s best 20.08 for second in the 200m behind Terrance Laird (20.06). Elijah Morrow was third in 20.22.
Moving to the 100m, Ackeem Blake produced a big personal best 9.89 to get a win over Americans Cravont Charleston (9.91) and Christian Coleman (9.91).
American Morolake Akinosun capitalized on the absence of both Sha’Carri Richardson and Marie- Josee Ta Lou from the Women’s equivalent to win in 10.97 ahead of countrywoman Melissa Jefferson (11.07) and Jamaican Junior Alana Reid (11.08).
In the field, 2019 World Championships silver medallist, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, produced a new personal best and national record 19.77m for third in the Women’s shot put. The event was won by the USA’s Maggie Ewen in a personal best and world leading 20.45m ahead of her teammate, Chase Ealy (19.98m).
Two-time World Champion Anderson Peters, won the javelin in 83.16m ahead of Curtis Thompson (75.27m) and Caspers Williamson (75.02m)
Smikle, Dacres finish first and second in discus at USATF LA Grand Prix
Jamaicans Traves Smikle and Fedrick Dacres finished first and second in the men’s discus throw on day one of the 2023 USATF LA Grand Prix at the UCLA Drake Stadium in California on Friday.
Smikle produced a consistent series with his two best throws coming in the first and sixth rounds.
The first round saw him produce a 65.26m, which would have been good enough to win, before five rounds later he threw the discus 67.07m.
Dacres, the 2019 World Championship silver medallist, was in third after four rounds with a best throw of 63.30m. After a foul in the fifth round, he produced a 64.51m effort in the final round to secure second place.
Samoa’s Alex Rose was third with a best throw of 64.03m.
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