Yohan Blake after injuring his hamstring at the Glasgow Grand Prix in 2014.
Team Jamaica
Most track and field athletes would have quit the sport years ago if they had gone through the injury struggles endured by Yohan Blake.
The youngest World 100m champion in history had the prime of his career significantly affected by a number of injuries, none more devastating than a torn hamstring he sustained at the Glasgow Grand Prix in 2014.
Blake felt a sharp pain during the 100m race that was initially diagnosed as a cramp but, upon further evaluation, was determined to be a hamstring tear so bad that his muscle actually came off the bone.
Blake had to have surgery where they re-attached the muscle to the bone using aluminum, causing him to miss the rest of the 2014 season.
During the most recent episode of Out D Blocks on the Sportsmax.tv YouTube Channel, the 2012 double Olympic silver medallist reflected on his immediate reaction to the injury.
“When that happened to me, I went into the hills for two weeks. No one knew where I was and I cried,” Blake said, noting that he naturally had doubts about every returning to his old form.
So how did he get out of this funk and decide to move forward? Self-affirmation is how.
“I finally talked to God and said listen, you are the second fastest man on the planet. What are you doing?”
“I talked to Brigitte (Foster-Hylton) because she had the same injury and came back and won the World Championships. I talked to my manager and my team and came back and started to do little training and felt more confident,” Blake added.
Fast forward 10 years later, Blake, now 34, just had a season to forget on the track by his standards.
He had a 100m season’s best of 10.16 done in May and failed to make Jamaica’s team to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nagging injuries was the main contributor to his lack of success last season according to Blake, with even the injury suffered back in 2014 still affecting him to this day.
“I still struggle with a lot of injuries,” he said.
“Last year, I tried to change up my routine being more specific in my lifting and my running and I got some aches and pains, even from my previous injury when my muscle came off my bone and they had to re-attach it with aluminum so it’s a bit rigid. It bothers me a lot,” he added.
In a lot of situations with athletes who suffer major injuries, they are able to put out full effort in training but once they get into the competition, a metal block affects their performance due to a fear of getting hurt again.
Blake says this has also affected him since the injuries.
“It has. Training with Glen Mills, before I left, he said to me ‘Yohan, if you’re going out there with that mindset, it’s better you stop,’” he said.
“From that, I changed my routine. You’re still going to pick up niggles along the way and the wear and tear of the body. Usain said ‘Yohan, when you reach a certain age you’re going to feel this.’ A lot of times when I was training with Usain, he started to feel some pain and everything and he’d tell me I’d feel some of these pains and I shrugged it off because I was young and I finally understand what he meant,” he added.
As previously stated, athletes who have suffered the injuries he’s suffered usually don’t last as long in the sport as he has.
With all the injuries, Blake still holds the title of second fastest man to ever walk this earth.
“Thank God for what I have achieved because not many persons in the world can say they have achieved what I have achieved,” he said.
“There comes a point in time when you understand, even though you have people saying quit or stop, those are the things that drive me. You can’t tell me to quit. They can’t tell me to quit. They can say anything but they can’t make me quit. I have to make me quit,” he added.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Michael Johnson optimistic about bright future for field events amid rise of track-centric meets
Legendary sprinter Michael Johnson, the founder of the upcoming Grand Slam Track (GST) series, is confident that field events will not be sidelined despite the emergence of track-only competitions like GST and September's all-woman Athlos NY meet. Instead, Johnson envisions a future where field events flourish in their own right, buoyed by specialized leagues and platforms.
Grand Slam Track recently announced its inaugural season for 2025, with meets scheduled in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. As excitement builds for the all-track format, concerns have surfaced about the potential marginalization of field events like the shot put, discus, javelin, and triple jump. However, responding to a query from Sportsmax.TV, Johnson dismissed these fears, offering a compelling case for optimism.
“I think you will see quite the opposite,” Johnson said. “Ryan Crouser, the Olympic champion and world record holder in the shot put, is going to start his vision for a throws league that is specifically for the throws where the fans who actually appreciate those events and understand the great athleticism that is required for those events can actually be closer to the action. And so those events don’t fall secondary to what’s happening on the track, and I have offered my support to Ryan for that.”
Johnson, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and former 200m and 400m world record holder, pointed to Crouser’s initiative as an example of how specialized leagues can elevate field events.
“So I don’t think you will see those events continue to go away. I think it’s the exact opposite,” Johnson continued. “I think that there has been inspiration around how you now create leagues for those events as well, where you can make those events more prominent.”
Field events have experienced a resurgence in recent years, with Caribbean athletes making significant strides on the global stage. Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott and Grenada’s Anderson Peters have won Olympic and World Championship medals in the javelin. Jamaica's Roje Stona set an Olympic record to win gold in the discus, with compatriot Rajindra Campbell claiming shot put bronze. Dominica’s Thea LaFond made history by winning her country’s first Olympic medal, a gold in the triple jump, ahead of Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts, a two-time World Championship silver medalist.
Johnson believes specialized leagues and tailored events are key to ensuring that these athletes and their disciplines receive the recognition they deserve.
“Right now, they’re getting lost in a huge stadium where fans far away can’t actually see and appreciate the athleticism,” Johnson explained. “So I think that this [Grand Slam Track] paves the way for a brighter future for the field events.”
Grand Slam Track’s inaugural season promises to bring a fresh, dynamic format to track events, while Johnson’s endorsement of field-event-specific leagues highlights his broader vision for athletics as a sport. With initiatives like Crouser’s throws league on the horizon, Johnson’s optimism reflects a shift toward creating dedicated platforms for all disciplines to shine.
The 2025 GST series, set to kick off with a meet in Kingston from April 4-, marks an exciting evolution for the sport. As Johnson’s vision takes shape, the future appears brighter not just for track athletes but for the field-event stars whose talents deserve a stage of their own.
Jaydon Hibbert honoured and 'humbled' with inaugural JOA Olympic Spirit Award
Rising athletics star Jaydon Hibbert was humbled and deeply honoured to receive the first-ever Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) Olympic Spirit Award during a glittering ceremony at the Terra Nova Hotel on Saturday night.
The award, introduced to celebrate athletes who exemplify the core values of Olympism—courage, perseverance, and sportsmanship—recognizes Hibbert’s remarkable resilience and determination at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Despite battling discomfort during competition, Hibbert delivered an exceptional performance in the men’s triple jump, narrowly missing the podium by 0.03 centimeters to finish fourth. At just 19 years old, he was the youngest competitor in the field, showcasing composure and tenacity beyond his years.
The JOA’s official citation praised Hibbert’s efforts, describing him as "dauntless and with inborn patriotism," commending his ability to “give it his all” despite physical challenges. It continued:
"The heart of a gladiator will always beat with the lifeblood of a champion, and Jaydon is of that mettle. The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) applauds Jaydon Hibbert, a distinguished brother of our household and our first Olympic Spirit awardee."
Hibbert, who is also a nominee for the World Athletics Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year, expressed gratitude and humility in his acceptance speech.
"To be recognized in this way is truly humbling," he said. "The Olympic Games were a test of my spirit, and I’m proud to represent Jamaica on and off the field. This award serves as motivation for what’s to come."
Christopher Samuda, President of the JOA, highlighted the importance of the award during his remarks at the ceremony, underscoring its role in celebrating not just athletic excellence but the qualities of perseverance and character.
"The award not only recognizes athletic excellence but also celebrates the spirit of perseverance and sportsmanship that transcends the playing field," Samuda said. "Jaydon's inclusion underscores the JOA’s commitment to celebrating not only athletic success but also the core values of Olympism – character, courage, and unyielding grit, the true essence of the Olympic spirit."
The ceremony also honored Jamaica’s 2024 Paris Olympic medalists, but Hibbert’s recognition stood out as a poignant reminder of the Olympic spirit that defines true champions. As the applause echoed in the room, it was clear that Jaydon Hibbert’s journey has only just begun, and his story continues to inspire.
Not so fast: Haughton says Thompson-Herah in Florida for treatment on Achilles; not joining Tumbleweed Track Club
Earlier on Saturday, Sportsmax.tv published a story based on the words of three-time Olympic medallist, Dr. Gregory Haughton, suggesting that Elaine Thompson-Herah was training with the Tumbleweed Track Club in Jacksonville, Florida under the supervision of Rana Reider.
He mentioned the potential move in a recent video, which has since been deleted, on his YouTube channel Let’s Talk-With Dr. Greg.
Now, Haughton has released a statement on his Facebook page clarifying that the five-time Olympic champion has, in fact, not been training with the club but is, instead, in Florida getting treatment for the Achilles injury that hampered her 2024 season.
“On Thursday I posted a video entitled Elaine Thompson Herah has found a new home, which in my mind was very good news. The day before I dropped the video, I received a call stating that Elaine was in Florida getting treatment and she was also a part of a particular training camp, I then made some calls to confirm the first call I got, and it was confirmed multiple times,” Haughton said in the statement.
It continued: “I even asked two of the sources how sure are you of the info and both said 90% sure which in turn I reported as such. 24 hours after dropping the video, I got a call from someone on Elaine's team, where we had a very intense conversation in the first 20-25 minutes which eventually ended up being a very enlightening conversation.
At the end of the day, I respected the fact the call was made, and I also appreciated the fact that they took the time to listen to what I had to say regarding my intentions behind it all. It must be said that the personnel from Elaine's team stated that the video was not completely accurate and adamantly refuted any claims being made about Elaine having an official new camp...
Yes, Elaine is in Florida getting treatment, yes Elaine may have associates that are associated with the camp in question, but let it be heard here as I set the record straight, Elaine has not found a new home plain and simple.”
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