Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake reflects on a tough season, offers inspirational message, and ranks 11th in the latest World Athletics standings.
Jamaica's former world 100 meters champion, Yohan Blake, who has recently hinted at retiring after the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, has taken to his social media platforms to share a poignant message amidst a disappointing season.
The sprint sensation, who once graced the podium as the youngest-ever World Athletics Championships 100m gold medalist, is now grappling with a ranking that does not mirror his past glory.
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Blake, who etched his name in the annals of sprinting history by clinching the 100m gold at the 2011 World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, was seen as the heir to the sprint throne.
A year later, he added Olympic silver medals in both the 100m and 200m races at London 2012, narrowly trailing behind his training partner, the legendary Usain Bolt. His incredible times of 9.75 seconds in the 100m and 19.44 seconds in the 200m remain the fastest in Olympic history to not claim gold.
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Amidst his recent struggles on the track, Blake shared a thought-provoking message with his fans and fellow athletes, serving as a reminder that life's journey is fraught with ups and downs.
"Shoutout to everyone trying to get their life together. Working on yourself is the hardest part of life. Keep going, no matter where you are. Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes. We say wrong things, we do wrong things, we fall, we get up, we learn, we grow, we move on," he expressed.
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The close of the season saw Blake competing at the Diamond League, where he crossed the finish line in sixth place in Eugene, clocking a time of 10.08 seconds.
It was a far cry from his past performances, and American sprinter Christian Coleman seized victory in the race, closely followed by World Champion Noah Lyles, who surged to second place with a time of 9.85 seconds.
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Kenya's Omanyala Ferdinand also shared the same time of 9.85 seconds, securing third place. Meanwhile, Jamaican newcomer Kishane Thompson, in his inaugural competitive season, started strong but eventually faded into fourth place, finishing in 9.87 seconds.
Blake's recent struggles on the track have led to a drop in his ranking, with the latest World Athletics rankings, released on September 19th, placing him in the 11th position for the 100m.