Yohan Blake at World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - Day Two - Source: Getty

Why is Yohan Blake not competing at the Paris Olympics 2024?

Modified Jul 23, 2024 23:35 GMT

Yohan Blake, the Jamaican athlete, will not compete in the upcoming Paris Olympics, haing failed to qualify in the trials held in June. In the 100m race, the two-time Olympic gold medallist finished fifth.

Blake had previously declared that the Olympics in Paris would be his final dance before retiring. Unfortunately, Blake has failed to accomplish his goal as he could not clear the recent Jamaican Olympic Trials.

Blake ran a time of 10.21s to finish fifth in the 100m trials. His opponents Oblique Seville and Bryan Levell claimed the first and second positions with their respective timings of 9.98s and 10.07s.

Yohan Blake's early life - the switch from cricketer to sprinter

Yohan Blake, a student at St Jago High School, was interested in cricket. The youngster was a fast bowler who eventually discovered hints of his sprinting talent while playing the game. At the suggestion of his principal, Blake began to pursue a career in track and field.

He was 16 when he grabbed eyeballs thanks to his impeccable timing of 10.11s at the 2007 CARIFTA Games. It turned into the fastest time ever set by a junior sprinter from Jamaica in the 100m race.

Yohan Blake's Achievements

Yohan Blake is renowned as the second-fastest man in the 100m and 200m races. Along with the great athlete Tyson Gay, he owns the second-fastest time in the 100 meters. The 34-year-old has a personal best of 9.69 seconds, second only to Usain Bolt’s 9.58.

Thanks to a 19.26s finish, the 34-year-old boasts the second-fastest timing in 200m as well. Blake has won two Olympic gold medals in the 4x100m relay race and two silver medals in the 100m and 200m, respectively. The athlete also boasts world championship gold medals in the 100m and 4x100m relay races.

Yohan Blake trained under the same coach as Usain Bolt

Yohan Blake joined Glen Mills in 2009 at the Racers Track Club in Kingston. Mills was the man who coached eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.

At the 2011 World Championship, Blake, who was then 21 years old, became the youngest-ever 100m world champion under Mills' tutelage. Following training partner Usain Bolt’s disqualification from the race, Blake managed to clock a stunning 9.92s to win the gold medal.

He became a serious threat to Bolt at the 2012 London Olympics. His timing of 9.75 seconds placed him second in the 100m race, behind "Lightning Bolt." He stood second in the 200m race as well, clocking 19.44s to register the fastest non-winning time in history.