UPDATED - Since this article was published Blake, testimony to his incremental imporvements has reset his personal best in the 100m twice in back to back weeks. Most impressively he has done it against supreme competition. Blake quickly rebounded from his National Trials disappointment when he clocked 9.96 at the Golden Gala in Italy (July 10) finishing third behind winner Tyson Gay (9.77) and Asafa Powell (9.88) beating the olympic silver medalist Richard Thompson (10.05), Travis Padgett (10.17), Michael Frater (10.09), Steve Mullings (10.01), Daniel Bailey (9.97).

A week later he finished third again at the Paris GP yesterday (July 17) this time behind his idol Usain Bolt (9.79), Daniel Bailey (9.91 national record) again ahead of Richard Thompson (10.04) and olympic double finalist Churandy Martina (10.17), recording the fastest time (9.93) for a teenager competing in a 100m event.

ARTICLE -  

***How does an athlete quickly bounce back from failing to live up to the lofty expectations, personal disappointments, a lull in a very young career……….’just link coach Mills’ (in Jamaican parlance).

Yohan Blake, the national junior record holder was once thought as the next Jamaican super sprinter but as swiftly as a tongue is capable of uttering the bloaty adulation the 19 year old was deemed as the next big failure that peaked too early at ‘Champs’ when he hit a short lull in his career after being hindered by injuries and underwhelming performances.

Blake in full flight at the JAAA International Invitational track meet at the National Stadium May 2, 2009. Blake had a poor start but fought hard to finish an impressive third (10.07) behind USA's Darvis Patten and Antigua's Daniel Bailey. Both finished in  10.02 seconds.

Checks with those responsible Blake then appeased that he was suffering from growth problems illustrated by the back problems he suffered.

Sounds quite familiar doesn’t it.

Ironically Blake’s idol and now teammate Usain Bolt suffered similar problems at about the same point in his career.

A talented young Jamaican sprinter whose exploits at ‘Champs’ while representing St. Jago caught the eyes of many track and field pundits and fans alike across the world.

However, with a year of eligibility left he decided to take the professional route signing with one of Jamaica’s most successful and most respected coaches in Glenn Mills and a lucrative deal with one of the top shoe companies Adidas shortly followed.  

The always introspective and well spoken 19 year old seems to be as smart as his idol as seeking Mills has worked out well for him so far.

He registered personal best times this year in all sprint disciplines moving from 10.11 to 10.07 over 100 metres, 20.62 to 20.60 over 200 metres while recording 46.80 his best ever performance over the quarter mile.

“The season has been really great so far especially with two personal best,” Blake told JaSports.net while referring to 10.08 and 10.07 over his favored 100 metres.

Struggles

However, after his superb performances in 2007 where he broke the national junior record at the Carifta Games in the Turks and Caicos (10.11) and made the final of the National Senior Championship 100 metres, Blake became hampered by a hamstring injury which curtailed his progress in 2008.

Blakes struggles were most punctuated with his extremely disappointing fourth place finish at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Poland last year which he was favored to win. 

Wilhelm Van Der Vyver (left) of South Africa finishes in second place in the men's 100m final from fourth place Yohan Blake (centre) of Jamaica and bronze medallist Terrell Wilks (right) of USA during day two of the 12th IAAF World Junior Championships at the Zawisza Stadium on July 9, 2008 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

This was also following a false start disqualification at the Junior trials a month earlier.

The two time Under 20 Jamaican high school champion did not leave the blocks in his first major outing outside of Jamaica as a professional at the Adidas Track Classic in May 2009.

Reports of his Carson mishap must’ve re - aggravated the sore points of 2007 and 2008 disappointments in fans’ minds.

Blake admitted that he simply ‘just had technical difficulties.’

However, the 2006 world junior 100m bronze medalist quickly quelled those fears at the Reebok Grand where he eased to 10.20 to win the ‘B’ race where 2007 World Championship bronze medalist Derrick Atkins was left in his wake.

“I was really pleased with my performance there especially because I did not get a good start and was able to recover and win,”  said the Montegonian (originally from Montego Bay)

But again the motivational skills of coach Mills works like a ‘magic spray’ as Blake admits that he has been inspired by the somewhat unassuming Mills from his time at St.Jago, where he had the opportunity to interact with the coach.

“Coach Mills has been a great mentor for me,” he added “he is a great influence both in terms of my work on the track and my behavior and attitude off the track.” 

National Trials

The somewhat audacious Blake isn’t shy of pronouncing his lofty ambitions and expectations (check his numerous record breaking predictions ) which is highlighted by his daring attempt at making the national team to the 2007 World Championships Osaka Japan.

Infact it was at the 2007 National Senior Trials where he incurred the impeding hamstring injury as the then17 year old decided not to take part in the final and subsequently failed to finish at the AVIVA London Grand Prix on the European Circuit.

However, this time around at next weekend’s JAAA National Senior Trials (June 26-28) Blake is not looking forward to disappointing and is being touted along with club mate Usain ‘Lightning” Bolt to finish in the top three in the 100m.

Blake isnt making any predictions come next week and humbly said, “I am still young and still learning how to compete at this level, so I am just continuing to train hard, pray to God and just go out there and show what I’ve got.”

He seemably in no way is daunted by the world record holder but is rather reveling in the opportunity of working alongside 9.69 seconds speed. “It is a wonderful feeling working with Bolt and just being able to interact with him both on and off the track.”

Will the influences of Bolt and coach Mills propel him to Berlin running an individual event?  We’ll have to wait and see. However from all indication Blake looks like not just a improved athlete but a transformed individual.