Young stars looking to topple Yohan Blake at Trials

Yohan Blake, the 2011 World 100-metres champion, will be hoping to make it back-to-back titles at the National Championships when he faces promising young sprinters Ackeem Blake and Oblique Seville in the 100 metres this weekend at the National Stadium.

The 33-year-old Blake, despite going into the championships with a modest season’s best 10.05 seconds, the fifth-fastest by a Jamaican, usually saves his best for the Trials where he has won on several occasions. After a close second place finish to Tyquendo Tracy in 2021 he produced his fastest time of the season a year ago, 9.85 seconds, to turn back Ackeem Blake and Seville.

This time around Yohan Blake faces a stiffer task as Ackeem Blake has gone from strength to strength this season with the the 21-year- old emerging the fastest Jamaican so far this season after his comprehensive win in Los Angeles in late May where he won in a a personal best 9.89. Since then he has finished twice to Zharnel Hughes in the event with the latest being at the New York Grand Prix in 9.93 where Hughes clocked a personal best and world leading 9.83 for the win.

After a close fourth-place finish in the Eugene World Championships last year Seville, third at the Trials in 2021 and second last year, will be aiming for his first national senior 100m title. The 22-year-old who started his season in impressive style in April in Fort Lauderdale where he clocked a season’s best 9.95 has been slowed down by injury since. It will be interesting to see his form when he lines up in the event on Thursday in preliminary round action.

Like last year all indications are pointing to a battle between Seville and both Blakes in the 100m, but the likes of Julian Forte, with a season’s best 10.03, along with youngsters Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, the national junior record-holder with a best of 9.99, Deandre Daley and Kadrian Goldson, both with personal best times of 10.08 seconds will be hoping to make their presence felt.