After losing virtually an entire season due to injury, 2011 100-metre World Champion Yohan Blake was relieved to get his season opener out of the way at the Camperdown Classic at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Blake was fourth in his 400-metre heat in 47.20 seconds. He finished behind Edino Steele who won in 45.44 seconds, the fastest time by a Jamaican so far this year. For the second-fastest man of all time over both the 100 and 200 metres, having not competed since early 2013, the man known as 'The Beast' was just glad to get it over with.

"I was anticipating this, the 400 metres; I couldn't wait to get it out of the way. Thank God for Coach Glen Mills and my management team and Sean Kettle, they have been working tire-lessly with me strength wise and fitness wise and it has been going well," he said.

"My body feels great. I left it a bit late in the race and tried to test my strength and it's there, it's coming back."

Blake caused a bit of a stir among concerned fans when after finishing the race he stormed on to the infield muttering, eventually lying on his back and covering his eyes with his hands. But as he explained the only hurt he suffered was to his pride.

"I should have got out much harder but there is more to come so I am just waiting."

Blake revealed that he is well on his way back to what he was when he set a personal best of 9.75s back in 2012, a time that saw him winning the national championships and finishing second in the Olympic 100-metre finals in London, just over a month later.

"I would say I am at 50 per cent going up. Coach Mills has been working hard with me so where I am at now, I am really pleased," he said.

The way back though has not been easy. Blake reveals that 2013 was emotionally hard, especially not being in Moscow to defend his title that was won by his training partner Usain Bolt in 9.77s.

- L.L.