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World 100m champion Yohan Blake (left) during a visit to Jamaica House yesterday where he met with Prime Minister Bruce Golding (centre) and Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange. Blake returned home yesterday afternoon, three days after he clocked the second-fastest time in history over 200 metres, 19.26 seconds, at the Brussels Diamond League meet in Europe. - Winston Sill
Jamaica's newest international sprinting hero Yohan Blake returned home yesterday afternoon after stunning the track and field world with his 100 metres IAAF World Championships in Athletics triumph and a blistering 19.26 seconds 200m run last Friday at the Brussels Diamond League meet in Belgium
It's a run that has caused some degree of doubt on the veracity of performances in international track and field.
"My coach has taught me not to listen too much to that because when you are running fast you are going to get that so I just don't pay that any mind, I just look forward and focus on keep showing them that I am young and talented," said Blake.
"Glen Mills has been teaching me how to handle pressure and teaching me how to deal with all of this ... I can handle this," Blake assured.
Expectations around the former St Jago High school athlete have skyrocketed since his exploits over the past few weeks with talks of his training partner Usain Bolt's 19.19 seconds 200m world record in jeopardy.
However, the 21 year-old is not focusing on records just yet, but is more interested in improving his technique, particularly his start and the 200m curve.
Blake registered a comparatively slow .269 second reaction time at the start in Brussels, ran a lukewarm curve but still managed the second-fastest time ever over the distance.
"If you look at my reaction time (.269) and I ran the turn a bit slow, you can see that I can go faster in the 200m and also my 100m, technically can improve," said Blake.
"My start has been poor, I have been getting bad starts and if I can improve that my time can be much better over the 100m," he continued before underlining his surprise at his 200m run.
"When I left here I had it in mind to return as world champion but to run that time, 19.26 in the 200m; trust me, I didn't expect that. I expected a fast time but I didn't expect that and I am really grateful for all that has happened," Blake said.
The 100m national junior record holder is now expecting to pay more attention to the 200m next year with the Olympic Games in London promising a mouth-watering showdown between himself and Bolt.
"My coach will now take that into consideration (200m) even though I joke around with the 200m, but he'll get me more serious about it," said Blake.
World 100m champion and the second-fastest man ever over 200 metres (19.26 seconds), Jamaica's Yohan Blake, at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday shortly after he returned home from the track and field circuit in Europe. - Winston Sill
