Olympians Yohan Blake and Maurice Smith came out in support of the Ardenne Inaugural Optima 5K Run/Walk which was launched on Wednesday at the school's conference room in Kingston.

The organizer, the Ardenne Alumni Foundation is headed by Flo Darby, who said that the Inaugural Optima 5K Run/Walk is one of its premier fundraisers to support the construction of a state-of-the-art Health & Wellness Centre on the school grounds to serve the over 2000 students and staff at the institution. Ground was broken earlier this year for the planned JMD$60-million-dollars two-storey facility.

Construction is expected to begin in 2024.

When completed the Wellness Centre will house a reception and waiting area, three offices for guidance counsellors, two consultation rooms, nurse's station, student and staff sickbays and associated rest rooms, general male and female rest rooms, a coffee/tea/beverage station, student lounge, multi-purpose room and multi-purpose roof terrace.

Blake's support is in the form of sponsor through his water brand - Reviere Water - which was itself launched recently and will become available to the public on November 1. He said that he plans to attend the event which is slated for Saturday, November 4 starting at 6:30 am at the school’s gate on Ardenne Road.

Blake has the second fastest time (9.69) in the 100m and is the youngest male athlete to ever win gold in the 100m at the World Championship.

Smith attended the launch to show his support for the event in recognition of his brother and sister who both attended Ardenne High as well as his friends and fellow Olympians Brandon Simpson and Nickeisha Wilson.

 The now retired decathlete encouraged everyone to join him at the start line even though 5K is not his preferred event in track and field. Smith won a silver medal in 2007 World Championship in Osaka, Japan.

Jennifer Small aka 'Jenny Jenny' whose daughter is a student at Ardenne has also thrown her support behind the event in the form of 'spokesperson'.

The Ardenne Alumni Foundation is headed by Flo Darby, who said that the Inaugural Optima 5K Run/Walk is one of its premier fundraisers to support the building of a state-of-the-art Health & Wellness Centre on the school grounds to serve the over 2000 students and staff at the institution. Ground was broken earlier this year for the JMD$60 million dollars two-storey building with the intention to start construction in 2024.

When completed the Wellness Centre will house a reception and waiting area, three offices for guidance counsellors, two consultation rooms, nurse's station, student and staff sickbays and associated rest rooms, general male and female rest rooms, a coffee/tea/beverage station, student lounge, multi-purpose room and multi-purpose roof terrace.

Meet manager Alan Beckford said that the race/walk will start on time at 6:30 am, will have a full medical team and four water stops.  Ardenne High School's principal, Nadine Molloy welcomed the event and promised that everybody at the school will be out in full to ensure its success.

Chairperson of the organizing committee Dr. Kamille Adair Morgan appealed to the public to participate by registering as soon as possible. Registration cost is JMD$2,000 for adults and JMD$1,200 for students.

Several sponsors have already committed support for the event. They are Barita Foundation, General Accident, Reviere Water, Marathon Insurance Brokers, Lashings Villas, Rehab Villas, Rehab Oasis, TIP Friendly society, HomeMaid Jamiaca, Yushaine Morgan & Company, Clean Crew Jamaica, Simply Perfect Events, Krystal Clear Productions, Church of God Jamaica, Ministry of Health & Wellness and Ramsons.

Yohan Blake, the 2011 World 100m champion, has insisted that he has a lot left in the tank as he begins his preparation to earn a spot on Jamaica’s team to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris next year.

Blake, who turns 34 in December, missed out on a chance to make his country’s team to the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August, but insists he will not be deterred by this most recent setback as he looks forward to suiting up in national colours for his fourth Olympic Games.

“Not everybody can say they have been to four Olympics. I've gone three already and I'm looking forward to this one being my fourth to be honest, I know I have a lot left with me and I know I can spring some surprises. I am just really focusing on just getting this year to start off on a good level,” the 2012 double Olympic silver medallist told Sportsmax.TV on Friday following the launch of his Reviere Purified Water at the AC Hotel in Kingston.

The 2023 season was a challenging one for Blake, who boasts lifetime bests of 9.69 and 19.26 over the 100m and 200m, respectively.

During the season, he failed to break 10 seconds despite coming closest in Poland on July 16 when he ran a time of 10.01. However, he expressed contentment with what has transpired knowing he has a lot to work on for the coming season.

"I've been consistent, running 10-zeros. I never got the 9s, but I am okay with it," Blake reflected. “I've been doing some revision on the last races, the guys have been pulling away from me from the last 40 metres, so I'm doing some work on that.”

That work is being done in a new environment following the break-up of Titans International that sees Blake, Akeem Blake and Briana Williams as well as Frater walking away from the training group that was led by Coach Gregory Little.

With Frater now being totally in charge of his training, Blake expressed confidence that he will make the necessary steps forward in the coming season.

“Michael Frater is an athlete and he's our coach and he really understands me as well. And, you know, I have young Akeem Blake and Briana (Williams) in the camp as well. So we're looking to push each other and now some younger ones as well. We’re looking to push each other and as I said this is my last Olympics,” Blake said.

Frater has made adjustments to Blake’s programme aimed at keeping him sharp and explosive. "He wants to keep me sharp, and he wants me, when I touch the track, to be ready, and be a bit more explosive.”

Blake was once among the most explosive athletes on earth. After defeating Bolt in both the 100m and 200m at the Jamaica national championships in 2012, Blake ran times of 9.75 and 19.44 at the London 2012 Games to win two silver medals to go along with the gold medal in the 4x100m relay in which Jamaica established a world record of 36.84.

He was seemingly poised to challenge Bolt’s world records of 9.58 and 19.19 when a series of injuries derailed him. The worst of those injuries occurred on a cold evening at the Glasgow Grand Prix in July 2014.

“I remember that race clearly in Glasgow when my muscle was frozen. It was really cool and it popped. When I went to the doctor, the doctor said I suffered from muscle spasms,” he said in reflection, adding that some of his injuries were his own doing.

“You know, one of my biggest letdowns in life is I think I worked too hard and I pushed myself too much. I don't know when it’s time to rest and my body is really upset with me sometimes because I do not know when to rest but don't regret any of what happened. It has made me strong as well and I'm here, I'm still running fast,” he said.

“I can get an injury and do surgery and I'm here still running with aluminium in my leg. I'm trying.”

In his continuing drive to build a career after he retires from track and field, Yohan Blake on Friday launched his brand of water, Revierie Purified Water, at the AC Hotel in Kingston.

The brand will officially hit the market on November 1 with plans already in place to target markets overseas, especially in the Diaspora, the Caribbean and China where the 2011 World 100m champion continues to be a popular figure.

The broader plan is to align the Reviere brand with Jamaican/Caribbean sport, culture and life making it the water of choice for “home, healing, training, the gym, rehearsals, events and everyone’s life essential drink of water.”

Blake and his team have already planned an aggressive marketing strategy to break into the market. They have ready ads for television and social media featuring Blake and the brand’s ambassador, dancehall icon Bounty Killer and one for social media.

The world champion’s image appears on each bottle of water, which his team believes will help to connect the brand with consumers.

Speaking with Sportsmax.TV, Blake said launching his own brand of water is a big deal.

“It is really big for me. It is really going to change the market in the way not just how people see water, but see me on the bottle knowing that through my hard work this water is on the market and me looking to go into a different venture,” he said.

The beloved athlete also drew praise from business partner Stephen Steele of iPrint Digital and Outdoor Advertising, who urged everyone to support Blake in this new venture.

Speaking on behalf of Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Advisor Lenford Salmon lauded the second fastest man for his dive into entrepreneurship and described him as an example for others to follow.

“The minister particularly wanted me to highlight the fact that for a young man, a young athlete, and we at the Ministry of Culture regard sports as physical culture. So we regard it as a part of the culture and in the day of bling where artists, too many of them and our athletes make some money, sometimes it’s not even a whole heap, but when they make some income they don’t plow it back, they go for the bling,” Salmon said.

“They go for fast cars, they party every night, they go for top-shelf liquor,  without looking to see how they’re going to secure their future. And we’ve been watching you and we’re seeing your business ventures, we’ve seen all you have been doing to set an example for athletes and for people, generally, in what we call physical culture and culture and we want to use this opportunity of you starting another business venture and hold you up as that kind of example which we want others to follow.”

Coach Glen Mills, the renowned track and field guru, was the center of attention at the Annual People Profile Awards on Sunday, September 24.

Held at the Faith Centre in Sunrise, Florida, the black-tie red-carpet affair, sponsored by the Housing Foundation of America, not only celebrated exceptional individuals and organizations within the community but also paid tribute to luminaries in the music industry and sports.

Coach Glen Mills received special recognition for his contributions to the world of track and field, along with Consul General R. Oliver Mair, who was honored with the President's Award.

Mills, whose career as a track and field coach, has spanned five decades, developed some of Jamaica’s greatest sprinters including 100/200m world record holder Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history who is also an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and 11-time world champion.

Mills also developed Yohan Blake, the youngest man to win a 100m world title in 2011 and Warren Weir, the 2012 Olympic 200m bronze medalist.

Mills also coached Raymond Stewart to the Olympic 100m final at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles while he was fresh out of Camperdown High School where Mills helped cement a legacy for the school that would eventually be dubbed ‘The Sprint Factory’ having produced such luminaries like Leroy Reid and Remaldo Rose.

Mills is currently the coach of Oblique Seville, who was fourth in the 100m finals in 2022 and 2023.

Founded by Lecturer/Businessman Dr. Allan Cunningham in 2015, the People Profile Awards aim to recognize individuals whose stories inspire, motivate, or educate others while supporting charitable causes.

Under the theme "Together We Are Stronger," the People Profile Organization collaborated with the University of Fort Lauderdale, aligning their vision to prioritize people, education, and community. This partnership is set to create a lasting impact on the community.

The People Profile Awards 2023 featured an evening filled with entertainment, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees.

The awards ceremony encompassed 16 categories, including "Humanitarian," "Media," "Sportsman of the Year," and "Courage" Awards.

Norman Hemming assumed the role of host for this grand celebration of excellence.

American Christian Coleman followed up his 9.83-second clocking in Xiamen with a similar performance at the Prefontaine Classic to claim the men’s 100m Diamond League crown in Eugene on Saturday.

It was always expected to be a breathtaking dash and despite Ackeem Blake’s false-start disqualification, the event lived up to its hype with Coleman’s time, like it did in China, again equalled the world lead of 9.83s, which was first set by Noah Lyles in August.

Lyles the World Champion, closed fast for second in 9.85s, while Kenya’s Omanyala Ferdinand was third with a similar time of 9.85s.

Jamaican Kishane Thompson, 22, in his first real competitive season got out well but faded into fourth in 9.87s. Another Jamaican Yohan Blake was sixth in 10.08s.

Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson clocked a new lifetime best 9.85s for second in the men’s 100m, behind American Christian Coleman, who equalled the World Leading time of 9.83s at the Wanda Diamond League in Xiamen, China on Saturday.

Thompson, who has been holding good form since his first sub-10 second clocking at Jamaica’s National Championships in July, produced a top performance, which not only shattered his previous personal best of 9.91s, but also makes him the fastest Jamaican this year. He overtook Oblique Seville at 9.86s.

Additionally, the 22-year-old Thompson’s time also makes him the sixth-fastest Jamaican of all time. Only Usain Bolt (9.58s), Yohan Blake (9.69s), Asafa Powell (9.72s), Nesta Carter (9.78s) and Steve Mullings (9.80s), have gone faster.

While Thompson’s achievement, which makes him the 22nd fastest man of all time and also earned him a spot in the Diamond League final, may come as a surprise to many, his coach Stephen Francis did indicate that there was more to come after his one-round run at the national championships.

“He would have run significantly faster but the most important thing is that he feels healthy and can look forward to the rest of the summer. Our plan is to ensure that next year, in the Olympic year, he will have the necessary race experience and a different attitude to tackle the full program,” Francis said then in an interview with Sportsmax.tv.

Thompson just failed to get back to Coleman, who equalled Noah Lyles World leading time, as they competed in a slight tailwind of 0.4 metres per second. American Fred Kerley (9.96s) was third.

Meanwhile, the other Jamaicans, Yohan Blake (10.04s), Rohan Watson (10.18s), were sixth and ninth respectively, while Ackeem Blake, who seemingly picked up an injury finished at the back of the pack in well over 25 seconds.

Shericka Jackson humbled a crack field to win the 200m in Monaco on Thursday where triple jump phenom Jaydon Hibbert defeated some of the world’s best jumpers in his first ever Diamond League meeting.

Going up against USA champion Gabby Thomas, the world leader at 21.60 and the talented professional newcomer Julien Alfred as well former European champion Dina Asher Smith, Jackson found herself challenged coming into the home straight but called her on superior strength and speed to win in 21.86.

Alfred, in only her second meet as a professional, ran a smart 22.08 for second place. Asher-Smith was third in a season-best 22.23.

With a month to go before the World Championships in Budapest, the world champion was pleased with the performance.

“It was great for me today. Last time, I was second here, so to come here and take the win, it is really really good. I had three competitions in a week so it is a bit hard for me. One more coming up, it will be London,” said Jackson, who was not entirely happy with the first part of her race.

“I do not think that the curve was as good as I wanted but I managed to go until the finish so it was good. I have one more coming up so I am glad I finished this one healthy. I keep training and keep competing.

“I had a hard training session yesterday and still I was able to run 21 so that is good. I want to make sure I am on the top of my shape in Budapest. “

Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas, who ran a lifetime best of 22.15 at the Diamond League Meeting in Rabat in May, clocked in at 22.40 to finish fourth. Thomas, who was among the leaders early and was expected to be in the mix down the home stretch but faded badly to finish in seventh in 22.67.

Hibbert, meanwhile, suffered his first loss in the triple jump this season despite producing a fantastic effort of 17.66M that was four centimetres short of Hugues Fabrice Zango’s winning effort of 17.70m. The man from Burkino Faso snatched the win on the very last jump of the competition.

 Yasser Mohammed Triki of Algeria, who held the lead briefly after a season-best third-round jump of 17.32m, had to settle for third place.

Ackeem Blake was third in the 100m running 10.00 behind Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who took the win in 9.92 over Letsile Tebogo, who clocked in at 9.93.

Yohan Blake was fourth in 10.01 with Kishane Thompson fifth in 10.04.

The meet will be remembered by another breathtaking performance from Faith Kipyegon, who smashed the world record for the one mile run. The Kenyan clocked 4:07.64 breaking the previous record of 4:12.33 set by Sifan Hassan in 2019.

Nia Ali took a close win over compatriot Kendra Harrison in the 100m hurdles. The mother of three clocked in a personal-best, world-leading and meet record time of 12.30, just 0.01 ahead Harrison, the former world record holder.

Another American Alaysha Johnson was third in 12.39.

The men’s 400m hurdles was a firecracker of a race billed as a clash between world-record holder Karsten Warholm and the reigning world champion Alison dos Santos, who was running his first hurdles race after rehabilitating from knee surgery.

And for the first 300m it was a battle before Warholm pulled away from the struggling Brazilian to win in a Diamond League and world-leading 46.51, a meet record. Dos Santos ran 47.66 with American CJ Allen close behind in 47.84.

The Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on Tuesday proved to be an excellent day for Caribbean athletes.

The star of the day, however, was reigning Olympic 400m champion, Steven Gardiner.

The Bahamian, unbeaten since 2017, produced a world-leading 43.74, the second-fastest time of his career, to win ahead of Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald and American Vernon Norwood.

McDonald ran a massive season’s best 44.03 in second while Norwood’s time in third was 44.63.

In the women’s equivalent, Commonwealth champion Sada Williams ran a season’s best-equaling 50.34 to take the win ahead of Romania’s Andrea Miklos (50.80) and Austria’s Susanne Gogl-Walli (50.87). Charokee Young was sixth in 51.35.

Moving to the 100m where NCAA champion Julien Alfred, on her professional debut, got her usual good start and held her nerve to maintain her unbeaten record this season with a 10.89 effort. The former Texas star handed Sha’Carri Richardson (10.97) her first loss of the season while Tamari Davis was third with 11.02.

It was a Jamaican sweep in the men’s equivalent, with Yohan Blake producing his second consecutive good performance since a disappointing Jamaican Championships last week.

The 2011 World Champion ran 10.04 to win ahead of Ackeem Blake (10.09) while Rohan Watson, Jamaica’s national champion, was third in 10.10.

Defending World Champion and fastest woman alive in the 200m, Shericka Jackson, bounced back from a 100m defeat at the Silesia Diamond League on Sunday to run 22.03 to take the 200m ahead of Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (22.36) and Bahamian Anthonique Strachan (22.45).

The men’s equivalent produced an upset as the Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando ran 19.99 to take the event ahead of American teenage sensation, Erriyon Knighton (20.05) and Jamaican national champion, Andrew Hudson, who ran 20.36 in third. Julian Forte was fourth in 20.41.

Reigning Olympic 110m hurdles champion, Hansle Parchment, was narrowly beaten by American Daniel Roberts in the men’s sprint hurdles.

Roberts’ winning time was 13.12, just .02 seconds faster than Parchment in second and Tyler Mason in third.

Andrenette Knight led a Jamaican 1-2-3-4 sweep in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Knight, who lost to Janieve Russell at the Jamaican National Championships last week, turned the tables this time around with a near flawless race to win in a new personal best 53.26.

Russell ran a season’s best 53.72 in second while Rushell Clayton, who will also be on Jamaica’s team in Budapest, ran a season’s best 53.79 for third. Shiann Salmon ensured that Jamaicans occupied the first four places with 55.04 in fourth.

In the field, 2019 World Champion and Jamaica’s national record holder, Tajay Gayle, finished second in the long jump.

Gayle’s best distance, 8.24m, had him in the lead until the final round when Greek Olympic Champion, Miltiadis Tentoglu, produced a winning jump of 8.29m. The USA’s Jarrion Lawson was third with 7.97m.

Sha’Carri Richardson went 2-0 against Shericka Jackson this season after storming to victory in the 100m at the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Poland on Sunday. The American, who remains unbeaten over 100m this season chased down Jackson, nipping the Jamaican at the line to win in a time of 10.76.

Jackson, celebrating her 29^th birthday on Sunday and who ran a world-leading 10.65 to win the Jamaican championships a week ago, clocked in at 10.78. Poland’s Ewa Swoboda ran a personal best of 10.94 for third place.

“It was an amazing race, I am really having fun,” an excited Richardson said afterwards.

“The 10.76 - I love the time. I put a great race together. This was a great competition, it was amazing. I executed correctly. I love the atmosphere here. I wish we could replicate this to the US. All the energy, all the love from the audience. I was satisfied with my race altogether.”

It wasn’t a particularly good day for Caribbean athletes nonetheless the eighth Diamond League meeting of the season delivered plenty of outstanding performances considering that the World Championships are less than five weeks away.

Chief among those performances was the meet record 44.08s South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk unleased on a quality field in the 400m. Demonstrating his best form since his return from a career-threatening knee injury in 2017, the South African has Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, himself returning from recent knee surgery, for company up to 300m before the 31-year-old Olympic champion went full throttle down the home stretch putting daylight between himself and the rest of the field.

Bayapo Ndori of Botswana finished strong to slip by the Brazilian and crossed the finish line in a personal best 44.61. Dos Santos, the 2022 World 400m hurdles champion settled for third in a season-best 44.73.

Van Niekerk expressed his satisfaction with the race.

“Things are moving in a positive direction. I have been able to train consistently. It is my fastest run in seven years and 44.0 shows that 43 seconds is possible,” he said.

“The competition in my event is getting stronger, so I need to work to get better as well. I do not feel any special pressure, but it is natural for an athlete to want to reach their best possible level. I will be going on to London now and then want to get some good training sessions before the World Championships.”

Earlier, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek delivered a similarly devastating performance in the women’s race that she won in a new lifetime best of 49.48 which was also a new meet record.  Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands also showed she was in good form heading into the world championships clocking in a time of 49.81, which was just shy of Femke Bol’s previous meet record of 49.75.

Marileidy Paulino, the World Championship silver medalist, uncharacteristically outrun over the first 300 metres, stormed through the field late to finish third in 50.00.

Jamaica’s Candice McLeod ran a season’s best 50.19 for fourth just ahead of Barbados’ Commonwealth Games champion, Sada Williams fifth, also in a season’s best 50.34.

 The 100m hurdles was another thrilling affair that saw World Champion Tobi Amusan winning in a season-best and new meet record 12.34 to edge Kendra Harrison, the former world record holder, who finished second in 12.35.

Newly crowned USA champion Nia Ali ran a time of 12.38 for third place.

Breaking down her performance afterwards, Amusan revealed the challenges she has faced while competing this season.

“It was not easy for me with injuries in my hamstring and my knee. But I trusted in my coach and my work,” said the Nigerian who is coached by Jamaican Olympian Lacena Golding-Clarke.

“It is all about the process. I just won this in a smooth style, I was just running. Honestly, I had no idea that I won when I crossed the finish line.”

In reference to the upcoming world championships, Amusan said she was not looking too far ahead.

“I take it one step after the next. I knew it was going to be a battle until the finish line. I am happy to compete against the best. I am just out here doing well. I came out there I was not feeling too good. About my start - I would not say that I executed, but the second part of the race was really good. I am most definitely building up for the World Championships, extremely satisfied with my season-best, one step at a time.

Jamaican champion Megan Tapper was the best placed Caribbean athlete. She finished fourth in 12.49, her second fastest time ever, after the 12.44 she ran at Jamaica’s National Championships a week ago.  Danielle Williams, the 2015 world champion was fifth in a season-best 12.55.

Natoya Goule has been running well all season and she produced another season-best performance to finish third in the 800m. The Jamaican champion ran 1:57.90 but was not fast enough to get by Uganda’s Hallimah Nakaayi who set a new national record of 1:57.78.

However, both women were outrun by Kenya’s Mary Moraa, who sped a new meet record and season-best time of 1:56.85, which sets her up as a legitimate medal contender in the event at Budapest next month.

American Fred Kerley lost his first 100m this season, finishing second to Akani Simbini in a closely contested race in which 0.02 separated the top four finishers. The South African ran 9.97 to Kerley’s 9.98, which was the same time given to Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme.

The USA’s 100m champion Cravont Charleston finished fourth in 9.99.

Yohan Blake, the 2017 World Champion, was fourth in 10.01, his best time this season.

Yulimar Rojas was once again dominant the women’s triple setting a world-leading mark of 15.18m, which was also new meet record and season’s best.

Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk came late to the party with a leap of 14.70m which gave her second place while bumping Cuba’s Leyanis Perez-Hernandez, second for most of the competition, down to third.

Jamaican champion Shanieka Ricketts’ season-best jump of 14.56m saw her finish fifth while Dominica’s Thea LaFond was sixth with 14.43m.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the legendary Jamaican sprinter, has signed a deal with Swiss luxury watch company Richard Mille. The 36-year-old, who is a five-time World Champion at 100m and two-time Olympic 100m gold medallist, signed a three-year deal with the esteemed watchmaker on July 1.

This is Fraser-Pryce's first international sponsor, outside of her shoe sponsor Nike. The deal will also help fund her Pocket Rocket Foundation which provides scholarships annually to Jamaican high-school student-athletes.

There are plans to have Fraser-Pryce wearing a Richard Mille watch when she takes to the track at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest next month, where she will be vying for a record-extending sixth 100m title.

She joins such esteemed members of the Richard Mille family that includes Yohan Blake, Rafael Nadal, Wayde van Niekerk, Didier Drogba, and Fernando Alonso.

Over an illustrious career spanning almost two decades, Fraser-Pryce has established herself as arguably the greatest female sprinter of all time. In 2008, she became the first Jamaican woman to win an Olympic 100m title. She followed up by winning the 100m title at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

She added a second Olympic 100m title in 2012, joining Wyoma Tyus and Gail Devers as the only women to have won consecutive Olympic titles. Her compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah joined that pantheon at the Tokyo Olympics after winning her first 100m title in Rio, Brazil in 2016.

In Moscow in 2013, Fraser-Pryce became the first woman to win the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at a World Championships. She added a fourth 100m title in Helsinki in 2015.

Despite a toe injury in 2016, Fraser-Pryce won a bronze medal in the 100m at the Rio 2016 Olympics and became the only woman to win medals in the 100m at three consecutive Olympic Games.

She gave birth to her son Zyon in 2017 after which she returned to the track in 2019 to win her fourth 100m world title in Doha, Qatar. She followed up with a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and extended her record when she became the only woman to win medals in the 100m at four consecutive Olympic Games.

She added to her incredible legacy at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon where she won the 100m in a championship record of 10.67 and because the first running athlete to win five gold medals in the same event at a World Championships. The Pocket Rocket then added a silver medal in the 200m, running 21.83 to finish behind compatriot Shericka Jackson who won gold in 21.45, the second-fastest time ever run by a woman over the distance.

That same year, Fraser-Pryce added to her already considerable legacy by running below 10.7 seconds for the 100m, a record seven times. She is the only woman ever to accomplish that feat.

This new deal with Richard Mille is a testament to Fraser-Pryce's status as one of the greatest athletes of all time. It is also a sign of her continued dominance in the world of sprinting. With this new partnership, Fraser-Pryce is sure to continue to inspire and amaze fans for years to come.

Yohan Blake and his management team have unequivocally denied any validity to a widely-circulated article stating that the 2011 World Champion will be taking legal action against the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) over a timer malfunction at the recently-concluded National Championships at the National Stadium.

The article which is said to have been published on Wednesday, July 12, derived from the fact that Blake ran by himself in an attempt to make the men’s 100 metres semi-finals, after he was initially disqualified for a false start.

During his run against the clock, Blake, the World’s second-fastest man over the distance was clocked at 10.32 seconds, which was not good enough to see him through to the next round.

While it was rumoured that the 33-year-old was not pleased with the time, his manager Timothy Spencer has since cleared the air.

“Yohan has no intention of suing anyone,” Spencer told Sportsmax.TV.

Blake, who is in Silesia, Poland also rubbished the 'report' stating, "I dont know where this is coming from. I have moved on already and I'm focussing on the races ahead of me. In my head I'm already thinking about 2024 and hope I can represent Jamaica in the Olympic Games in 2024 in Paris."

Meanwhile, when contacted JAAA’s president Garth Gayle said the article "is not credible because we have no official documentation."  

The sprint events were always anticipated to be the highlight of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships, and they are certainly living up to those expectations, as there were a number of explosive performances, particularly in the men’s 100m on Thursday’s opening day of action at the National Stadium.

Aside from a few sub-10 second and personal best clocking, one of the biggest shockers of the night came when 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake –who many hoped would have rolled back the clock and produce a top performance –false-started and will now have to possibly turn his attention to the 200m, if he is to make the country's team to the World Athletics Championships next month.

The 33-year-old Blake was the defending national champion as he produced a timely sub-10 clocking in victory at last year's championships.

Still, the moderate turn out in the grandstand didn't leave disappointed, as MVP's Kishane Thompson and Kadrian Goldson of GC Foster College, announced themselves in a big way with massive personal best times of 9.91s and 9.94s respectively to lead all qualifiers into the semi-finals. 

Thompson, 22, running in heat one, surprised favourite Ackeem Blake of Titans Track Club, storming to his new lifetime best in a 0.6 metres per second wind reading, as he lowered his previous best of 10.21s set last year. Blake, who was ahead of the pack at one point, seemingly eased up off the accelerator too early and settled for second in a flat 10.00s, with Ryiem Forde of Adidas, taking third in a new personal best 10.01s.

Meanwhile, Goldson, running in heat three, maintained his focus despite two early false starts by Rasheed Foster of Cameron Blazers and Yohan Blake of Titans Track Club.

The 26-year-old Goldson powered his way to his new lifetime best in a 0.7 metres per second reading, to lower his previous best of 10.08s achieved last month. MVP’s Rohan Thompson also had a new personal best 9.98s in second, with Julian Forte (10.10s) of Elite Performance, in third.

Prior to that, another favourite for the national title Oblique Seville, cruised to a flat 10.00s while smiling all the way to the line in a 0.3 metres per second reading. That just about signals that the Glenn Mills Racers Track Club charge is fit and healthy to turn back all challengers at the decisive end of the event on Friday.

MVP’s Ramone Barnswell with a personal best 10.13s, Tyquendo Tracey (10.22s) of Swept Track Club, Nigel Ellis (10.07s) of Elite Performance, Michael Campbell (10.10s) of MVP and Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.21s) of Dr. Speed, will also line up in the semi-finals on Friday.

On the women’s side of action, there were no surprises as the inform Shericka Jackson of MVP seems set to retain her title, after easing to 10.99s in a 0.0 wind reading, following what was one of her most efficient starts in recent times. Her MVP teammate Jonielle Smith (11.19s) and Briana Williams (11.19s) of Titans Track Club, were second and third respectively.

It was not so smooth for two-time Olympic Games sprint double champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who is still working her way back to form, as she had to dig deep to win her heat in 11.12s in a 0.3 metres per second reading. The New Era Track Club representative held off Ashanti Moore (11.15s) of Adidas and the fast-finishing Shockoria Wallace (11.19s) of MVP.

National Under-20 record holder Alana Reid (11.14s) of Nike, Sprintec’s Remona Burchell (11.20s), Natasha Morrison (11.00s) of MVP and another Sprintec representative Shashalee Forbes (11.09s), also safely progressed to the semi-finals.

For most of his illustrious career, Yohan Blake ran as an Adidas athlete. With them as his shoe sponsor, Blake won the 100m world title in Daegu, South Korea to become the youngest man ever to do so.

That year, he ran a 200m time of 19.26 to become the second fastest man over the distance behind his then training partner Usain Bolt. The following year, he ran 9.69 becoming the second-fastest ever in the 100m. Only Usain Bolt’s 9.58 is faster.

However, this weekend when he takes to the track at Jamaica’s National Athletics Championships in Kingston, Blake will be competing in Puma gear.

The announcement was made on Puma’s Instagram page on Wednesday.
“A new chapter begins. Welcome, @yohanblake to the PUMA family” was the simple post under a picture of the man once known as ‘The Beast’, who this weekend will be attempting to win a spot on Jamaica’s team to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The 33-year-old ‘Beast’ a veteran of three Olympiads and four World Championships will face a brigade of rising stars of Oblique Seville, Ackeem Blake, De’Andre Daley and Bouwahjgie Nkrumie and hungry lions like Julian Forte, Nigel Ellis and Michael Campbell, who are among the 25 entrants vying for a spot on the Jamaican team.

So far this season, Blake has run a season-best time of 10.05 set at the FBK Games in Hengelo. The time makes him the fifth-fastest Jamaica this year behind Ackeem Blake (9.89), Seville (9.95), Nkrumie (9.99) and Forte (10.03).

It is said that the words coaches say to their athletes, and the words athletes say to themselves, greatly influence their performance. If that is anything to go by, then rising sprint star Ackeem Blake is set for another big showing at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Junior and Senior Championships –barring any mishaps.

The four-day Championships which is being used to select Jamaica's senior team to the World Athletics Championships, as well as teams to a few youth events, get is set to start on Thursday at the National Stadium.

Blake, has been the pacesetter in terms of his steady display of form so far this season, having dipped below 10 seconds in four of seven 100-metre races to date, which just about signals his readiness to challenge for a spot on the team to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, next month.

The 21-year-old, who opened his season with times of 10.05s, 9.93s and 9.99s in April, gradually upped the ante on May 21, when he clocked a wind-aided 9.87s in Bermuda, which may not have counted where achievements are concerned, but would have done his confidence a world of good.

And, so it did. He returned a week later and produced another impressive run, clocking a new personal best 9.89s at the USATF LA Grand Prix, in California. That time bettered his previous best of 9.93s that came at last year's National Championship.

However, his most recent performances at the backend of June, a 10.07s-clocking at the Budapest Quest meet inside the National Stadium, followed by 9.93s at the USATF New York Grand Prix, Blake said fell below his coach's expectations where execution is concerned.

"I never executed those races how my coach wanted, so we just have to go back to the drawing board and put in the work," Blake said in a recent interview during the National Championships launch.

A statement like that speaks volumes of the high standard both Blake and his Titans Track Club coach have set for themselves and, understandably so, as the quality of Jamaica's male sprinting took a nosedive since the retirement of the incomparable Usain Bolt in 2017.

But Blake, a former Merlene Ottey High standout is among those leading the revival having made it to the semi-finals at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in his first full season in the senior professional ranks.

With that experience under his belt, there is no limit to what Blake could possibly achieve this year and beyond, provided he stays fit and healthy. 

"I gained a lot of experience last year which was good for me so now I am just using that experience to be the best that I can be. So, I'm good, I am more relaxed and just having fun," Blake declared.

Given the fact that he placed third at last year's National Championship behind 2011 World Champion and the second fastest man alive, Yohan Blake, who is also his training partner, the Titans young star knows that taking the national title won't be easy.

Yohan Blake the reigning national champion, as well as Oblique Seville, who has been a bit low-key with a season's best 9.95 seconds and other top contenders –possibly Julian Forte, Bouwahjgie Nkrumie and DeAndre Daley –are expected to face the starter for Friday's final, and it is anybody's guess who will reign supreme.

Young Blake, being a man of few words, is intent on letting his performance do the talking on the track, which is when his true personality comes to light.

"Coach is just working on my start so I can go out there to have fun and do what I have to do that's it. So, I'm not talking (about expectations) right now, I am just going out there and time will tell," he ended.