Yohan Blake chooses his favorite for 100m clash between Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, Ferdinand Omanyala at Paris Olympics
Yohan Blake has not predicted who will win the 100m Olympic title at this year's Paris 2024 Olympic Games but is certainly rooting for the Jamaican youngsters to carry the day. Blake singled out Noah Lyles, Oblique Seville, Kishane Thompson, and Ferdinand Omanyala as sprinters in great shape ahead of the contest in Paris.
At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Marcell Jacobs was the surprise winner of the men’s 100m. However, in his analysis, Blake did not mention the defending champion as one of the athletes primed for greatness at the Olympics.
Yohan Blake noted that anything is possible once the athletes reach the final. However, he added that he would be keen to watch how the Jamaicans perform and would be rooting for them.
The two-time Olympic champion noted that Lyles, Ackeem Blake, Omanyala, and Thompson are making the sport exciting with their fast times.
Blake also went down memory lane to the times he was an athlete, competing against world record holder Usain Bolt, Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell, and Tyson Gay.
The two-time world champion noted that they made the sport interesting and was glad that the current crop of sprinters has brought the spark back.
In a video shared by an X user, Yohan Blake said:
"You know back then, me, Usain, Asafa, Gatlin, and Tyson, the field was crazy. I’d love to see what Noah Lyles, Oblique Seville, Kishane Thompson, Ackeem Blake, and Ferdinand Omanyala will do…they are coming through and producing great times."
"They are making the sport exciting again…I love it. I love the sportsmanship, I love the camaraderie and I love everything they are doing to push the sport forward. Once everyone gets to the final, I believe it’s open and anything is possible. But if I should root, then I have to root for my country," he added.
Yohan Blake to take on young talent at London Diamond League
Yohan Blake will be up against the current sprinters at the Diamond League Meeting in London on Saturday, July 20.
The 34-year-old will take on triple world champion Noah Lyles and world 100m silver medallist Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 100m. The duo of Lyles and Tebogo will be out to test their speed over the short distance in their build-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which are less than a month away.
Blake missed a ticket to the Olympic Games, and he will be looking to gain points ahead of the Diamond League Meeting final. He intended to have the Paris Olympics as his last but his bid to make it there hit a dead end after he finished fifth in the preliminaries at the Jamaican Olympic trials.
Yohan Blake has had quite a disastrous season, failing to win a race and suffering injury setbacks that have slowed him down.
Meanwhile, at the Diamond League Meeting in London, Akani Simbine and Zharnel Hughes will also be in the mix to fight for top honors as the main focus shifts to the Olympic Games.