Winning is one thing. Winning as a team is another. For Jerome Blake, this is what makes all the difference. He and his teammates did it by surprising the world of athletics.
Posted at 7:00 a.m.
New to the 4 x 100 meter relay team, Blake has already taken his rightful place as second torchbearer.
Arrived in 2018, two years after Andre De Grasse and company won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, the Jamaican of origin always knew how to take advantage of the chance given to him. A chance he deserved and took.
So much so that the team improved its result at the Tokyo Games last summer by changing the color of its medal. Blake and his teammates won the silver medal.
And at the World Athletics Championships played at the end of July in Eugene, Oregon, the Canadian quartet defied all odds. For the first time in 25 years, Maple Leaf runners captured gold in the relay event. And again: they did it by achieving the impossible, that is to say by getting ahead of the Americans. Untouchable and unbeatable at these Worlds. Noah Lyles’ gang has bitten the dust.
Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse won with a time of 37.48 seconds, the fastest result in this event this season and, above all, a national record over the distance.
PHOTO BEN STANSALL, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse
“It’s pretty big. It’s not an individual gold medal, but a gold medal is still a gold medal. I’m very proud to have been part of the champion team,” explained Blake, having just landed on Florida soil to prepare for the second half of the season.
The Canadian troops believed in their chances, but they also knew that it would be a difficult task. The main thing was to stay true to the initial plan, remembering all the preparation done beforehand. “We had to stay focused, soak up the moment and execute what we had planned. »
Moreover, the notion of team is predominant in Blake’s remarks. According to him, the best team is not the one that runs the fastest, but the one that gets along the best.
If the team spirit is on point on the starting line, we know that we will be correct. We just try to do our best and we know that if we do that, we will have good results and special things will happen.
Jerome Blake
Since arriving in Canada in 2013, Blake has progressed without too much hassle. He rose through the ranks gradually and brilliantly. From the Canada Games to the Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, Blake has won. What he works hard for between British Columbia and Florida to prove that he has his place among the best in the world. This gold medal confirmed it. This is why it is precious to stop and become fully aware of the extent of the work accomplished, even if it is not always easy. “I’m still trying to figure it out. This is my first big gold medal at the Worlds. So you have to embrace the moment and try to build on that. It’s a very special feeling. »
Skipping the Commonwealth Games
The 26-year-old athlete, like his teammates De Grasse and Brown, has decided to miss the Commonwealth Games, which kicked off on Friday.
Blake talks about a thoughtful decision that will benefit the rest of the season. With these retirements, other Canadian athletes will have the chance to live a rewarding experience and this is what also motivated the Olympic medalist to retire.
“We have a lot of young athletes growing in track and field in Canada. It will give the youngest a chance to gain experience and understand what it takes. Like when I participated in the Pan American Games. It gave me experience and it allowed me to achieve certain things,” he added.
For the remainder of the season, Blake will focus on defending his team’s status. He and his teammates did not become world champions by chance and they intend to prove it.