Fit-again Blake turns attention to Rio

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – Olympic star Yohan Blake has declared himself fully fit, following an incident-free outing at the UWI Invitational last weekend.

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake … targetting Rio Olympics.
Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake … targetting Rio Olympics.

The 26-year-old, who has been plagued with injury ever since his dominant performances at the London, ran second to fellow Olympic medallist Warren Weir, clocking 21.23 seconds.

However, Blake said he was relieved to have come through the event without picking up any injuries.

“It felt pretty good. I have to give God thanks I am healthy again. I felt a little bit rusty because I haven’t run for a while, but I felt really good,” Blake told the Jamaica Observer newspaper.

“Me and coach (Glen) Mills have been doing some really good work on the track trying to get back the form in place which is going really well. So I am just working on that.”

He added: “I have to give God thanks because the body is up there again.”

Blake shot to international prominence when the won 100 metres gold at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. A year later, he stormed to silver medals in the 100 and 200m at the London Olympics, behind fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt.

He missed the Moscow World Championships in 2013 through injury and an attempted return the following year at the Glasgow Grand Prix, saw him pull up half-way during the 100 metres and carried from the track in a wheelchair.

With injury now behind him, Blake said he was focussed on the Rio Olympics in August, and would be slowly building up towards the showpiece.

“What I really want to do is replicate what I did or do better at Rio this year. So I am just focusing on that really,” Blake said.

“I will take it race by race. I have some races coming up … I am not sure yet where it’s going to be, but I am working with my coach and my manager Cubie Seegobin.”