KINGSTON: When the Olympics start, it will be Usain Bolt doing the chasing.
The World’s Fastest Man wasn’t even the fastest man in Jamaica on Friday night.
World champion Yohan Blake served notice that he will be ready to challenge for the Olympic 100m title by upstaging world record holder Usain Bolt to win in 9.75 seconds at the Jamaican Olympic trials.
“Coach (Glen) Mills told me I can do it and I believed,” an elated Blake said on Friday. “The Olympics is the focus right now.”
Blake became the fourth-fastest man ever in the event as he ran a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year with a legal wind of +1.1 m/sec.
Bolt, the reigning Olympic champion, was second in 9.86 seconds after a poor start and Asafa Powell was third in 9.88 seconds.
“He’s a class runner without a doubt and I have said it over the years that he is one of the best. So for me it’s just one of those things,” Bolt said.
Bolt said he was distracted in the blocks and it affected his start.
“In the finals Nesta (Carter) moved beside me and when the gun went I was not focussed,” Bolt said.
“It is kinda hard to run down people like Asafa and Blake with his top end speed. But for me to get left in the blocks like that is really bad.
“In the semis again, the guy next to me moved and it threw me off. It is kinda hard to ignore them so when they move it’s gonna throw me off a little bit.”
Bolt said his mechanics were off as he made a final push to catch Blake and that spoiled his race..
“Over all from 60 metres the race was good. But the last part my shoulder went up so it kinda slowed me down.” (Agencies)