Reigning world champion c and 2008 Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, both of Jamaica, won 100-meter titles on Saturday at the Diamond League athletics meet in New York. The day also saw the triumphant return of Tyson Gay in a B-level 100 race, a romp by 800m world champion David Rudisha and another failure to reach an Olympic time standard for South African Oscar Pistorius. Blake battled back to edge Trinidad and Tobago’s Keston Bledman at the line in 9.90 seconds, winning by .03, with American Michael Rodgers third in 9.99 and 2008 Olympic runner-up Richard Thompson fourth in 10.09. “I just wanted to keep a clean sheet going into the Olympics,” Blake said. “I feel a little disapointed. I wanted to do something better. Just one of those days.”
Last year in South Korea, Blake became the youngest world 100m champion by winning the final after world record-holder and reigning Olympic champion Usain Bolt was disqualified for a false start. Blake, aided by a 0.7m/sec tailwind, will best tested by training partner Bolt, Asafa Powell and a host of rivals at the Jamaican Olympic trials in late June and says a Jamaican 100m Olympic podium sweep is “more than possible”. “I’m excited,” Blake said. “We get to push each other in training. “It’s going to be a cracker in Jamaica in a few weeks. Being undefeated is important going into the trials You feel invincible.
“I’m prepared for trials. That’s the key. Qualifying for the Olympics is what matters.” Asked if his “clean sheet” would include the Jamaican Olympic trials, Blake said, “of course it will include the trials.” Dutchman Churandy Martina edged Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade in a photo-finish for the 200m title in 19.94, both .03 off Blake’s 2012 world-best 200m time, and former world champion Sanya Richards-Ross won the women’s 200 in 22.09. Former world champion Gay, running into a headwind of 1.5m/sec, prevailed in 10.00secs with Jamaican duo Kemar Bailey Cole and Jason Young second and third in 10.30sec in a photo-finish.
