#Carifta2022 | Blake looking for the perfect race

Jamaica’s middle distance star J’Voughnn Blake has set his sights on capturing his second gold medal at the Carifta Games when he competes in the semifinals of the 800 metres at the National Stadium today.

Blake, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury following the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships last week, won the Carifta boys under-20 1500m gold medal at a stroll, clocking four minutes 00.04 yesterday.

Blake’s countryman Adrian Nethersole was second in 4:01.45 and Troy Llanos of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 4:01.57.

Blake said he was happy with victory because it will give him a lot of confidence going into today’s 800.

“It feels good because it is a warm up going into the 800 tomorrow (today),” said Blake.

“I had a little niggle from Champs and I guess that is what I needed to get back into running and to build my confidence,” he said.

“I am having a little issue with my hamstring and it is not anything major, but it is annoying and so I just needed to come out here and run to see how it feels and it feels good,” he said.

Blake, who won both the 800m and 1500m at Champs for Jamaica College last week, added that he is not pleased with the time, but he is happy that he finished the race healthy.

TIME NOT IMPRESSIVE

“The time was not impressive because when I run, I run for a time,” he said.

“I am running against myself and so the four minutes was way off what I wanted but my coach and I agreed that we would do whatever it took to get a gold medal and to build my confidence for tomorrow (today),” he said.

Blake pointed out that his high school coach Neil Harrison has been working assiduously with him to lower his personal best time in the 800m this season.

“I am hoping that everything goes well in the 800 for me because I am still aiming for the 1:46 barrier, but I need to get the perfect race in the perfect conditions for me to do it,” Blake said.