Blake set to face Bolt's wrath and teasing after 100m final choke, Latest Athletics News - The New Paper
Athletics

Blake set to face Bolt's wrath and teasing after 100m final choke

Sprint legend Usain Bolt yesterday accused fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake of "panicking" in the Commonwealth Games 100 metres final - and can't wait to tease him about it.

The eight-time Olympic champion, who retired from the sport last year after almost a decade of freakish dominance, had warned Blake not to bother returning to the Caribbean if he failed to win the Gold Coast title.

And after Blake stumbled out of the blocks on Monday to finish third in a 100m final won by South Africa's Akani Simbine, Bolt confirmed that he would be having a word with his ex-Jamaica teammate on his choke.

"I haven't seen him, I haven't texted him," said Bolt, who is in Australia in an ambassadorial role.

"I'm waiting until I go the village and actually see him because I'm definitely going to make fun of him and stuff like that - that's definitely going to be a good conversation!"

"It was a little bit shocking Blake didn't win," added the 100 and 200m world record-holder, who arrived on the Gold Coast on Wednesday and headed straight to a nightclub where he partied until the early hours.

"I think Blake stumbled a little bit but probably panicked - that's always one of the toughest things.

"When you stumble, the worst thing you can do is panic and I think that's what set him back. It's one of those things and now it's just about bouncing back."

On a serious note, Bolt, 31, promised to talk to Blake about the pressures of taking over as Jamaica's main man.

Said the 11-time world champion: "He understands the pressure. I will bring it up when I see him - but I will make fun of him first."

South Africa claimed an upset one-two finish in the men's 100m final with Henricho Bruintjies taking silver, rubbing salt into Jamaican wounds in the first major competition since Bolt retired from the sport.

"One of my friends called me and said 'the South Africans are the kings of sprint' and what can I say - they really showed up," said Bolt.

Simbine's shock victory in 10.03sec, however, is far behind Bolt's world record of 9.58.

Bolt, though, believes the record will be broken.

"Records are meant to be broken," he said. "Although hopefully it won't be any time soon.

"In time, some young person will come along. If they have the same work ethic, talent, and want it as much as I wanted it, the possibility is there."

Meanwhile, England's Zharnel Hughes was celebrating victory in the men's 200m event last night when he was told that he had been disqualified for impeding Trinidad's Jereem Richards.

Richards, who crossed the line in 20.12sec, was awarded the gold medal ahead of Canada's Aaron Brown and Northern Ireland's Leon Reid.

In the women's 200m, Shaunae Miller-Uibo from the Bahamas won the gold in a Games record of 22.09sec ahead of Jamaica's Shericka Jackson and England's Dina Asher-Smith. - AFP

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