'A dream come true' ... Blake excited by IAAF nomination - Sport - Jamaica Star

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Blake

Monaco:

World 100m champion and International Association of Athletics Foundation (IAAF) 2011 Male Athlete of the Year finalist, Yohan Blake, is not only looking to become the third Jamaican man to lift the coveted prize, but is expecting to close out a massive year for himself with the launching of his charity organisation, the YB Foundation.

Conceptualised around the question 'YB afraid?', the charity movement has roots in the youngster's own experiences growing up in less-than-favourable surroundings, and it is hoped it will engage young men all across the island.

Blake, who left the island on Wednesday to attend the IAAF Grand Gala and World Athlete of the Year Awards in Monaco, is extremely excited about both prospects after a season that also saw him posting the second-fastest 200m in history - a 19.26 seconds clocking at a Diamond League meeting in Brussels, just days after he won 100m gold at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

"I have been looking back at 2008 and 2009 when my friend Usain (Bolt) won it, and I have been saying to myself that one day I would like to be there, and now I am a nominee with a great chance of winning," said Blake, who is up against Bolt and last year's winner David Rudisha (Kenya) for this year's honours, which will be announced tomorrow.

It's a great feeling

"It's a great feeling, trust me. All my dreams are coming true," Blake said.

"It's a tough field, but the best person will win. Truth is I'm just glad to be nominated. If I win it, I'll be overwhelmed, but anything can happen."

Turning his attention to his foundation, which he expects to get off the ground in December, like his IAAF nomination, Blake described it as the realisation of a life-long ambition of his.

"When I look back at school, boys tend to be less focused and the girls are excelling more than the boys, so I talked to a few people and decided to start the foundation," Blake said.

"This is a dream come true. This is something that I have been longing for because I know what poverty feels like, what life is like for the poor, and what being hungry feels like. So for me, this is a really big move," said Blake.

"We are trying to create this thing where when they leave the boys' home, they can get a job, or something, so we are putting different things in place for them so that they can have a better life."

		November 11, 2011
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	'A dream come true' ... Blake excited by IAAF nomination
	André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter Blake Monaco: World 100m champion and International Association of Athletics Foundation (IAAF) 2011 Male Athlete of the Year finalist, Yohan Blake, is not only looking to become the third Jamaican man to lift the coveted prize, but is expecting to close out a massive year for himself with the launching of his charity organisation, the YB Foundation. Conceptualised around the question 'YB afraid?', the charity movement has roots in the youngster's own experiences growing up in less-than-favourable surroundings, and it is hoped it will engage young men all across the island. Blake, who left the island on Wednesday to attend the IAAF Grand Gala and World Athlete of the Year Awards in Monaco, is extremely excited about both prospects after a season that also saw him posting the second-fastest 200m in history - a 19.26 seconds clocking at a Diamond League meeting in Brussels, just days after he won 100m gold at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. "I have been looking back at 2008 and 2009 when my friend Usain (Bolt) won it, and I have been saying to myself that one day I would like to be there, and now I am a nominee with a great chance of winning," said Blake, who is up against Bolt and last year's winner David Rudisha (Kenya) for this year's honours, which will be announced tomorrow. It's a great feeling "It's a great feeling, trust me. All my dreams are coming true," Blake said. "It's a tough field, but the best person will win. Truth is I'm just glad to be nominated. If I win it, I'll be overwhelmed, but anything can happen." Turning his attention to his foundation, which he expects to get off the ground in December, like his IAAF nomination, Blake described it as the realisation of a life-long ambition of his. "When I look back at school, boys tend to be less focused and the girls are excelling more than the boys, so I talked to a few people and decided to start the foundation," Blake said. "This is a dream come true. This is something that I have been longing for because I know what poverty feels like, what life is like for the poor, and what being hungry feels like. So for me, this is a really big move," said Blake. "We are trying to create this thing where when they leave the boys' home, they can get a job, or something, so we are putting different things in place for them so that they can have a better life."

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