News12 Feb 2012


Blake opens with 400m PB in Kingston

FacebookTwitterEmail

Allodin Fothergill (l) edges Yohan Blake ® over 400m in Kingston (© Anthony Foster)

World 100m champion Yohan Blake lanuched his 2012 London Olympic Games campaign with a personal best run over 400m at the Camperdown Classic here on Saturday (11).


Blake ran the first 200 metres very easy, but later found himself in a tussle with Racers club mate Allodin Fothergill in the homestretch before the latter went by to take victory in 46.29.


Blake, who later admitted he could have been more aggressive over the first half of the race, was however very pleased with his personal best effort of 46.49.


"I could have run faster if I had gotten out better," Blake said. "Today was just my first 400m so if I have one more, I will go faster." Blake added: "Alodin Fothergill is a 400m man so he got the better of me."


"I am much, much stronger this year and faster. Running 46.4 in my first outing is wonderful."


"It's a wonderful feeling and I ran a personal best, which means the season is going quite well," he concluded.


Track & field superstar Usain Bolt, who had indicated earlier this year that he would open his season at this competition, did not compete at the meet. According to his coach Glen Mills, Bolt is out of the country on a business trip. According to information from his management team earlier this month, Bolt is again down to compete at the Gibson Relays on 25 February, also at the National Stadium.


Meanwhile, Rosemarie Whyte took the women's 400m in 52.38 ahead of Davita Prendergast (52.68) and Schillonie Calvert (53.50).


Whyte, who was a finalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, was also pleased with the day's work. "Last year I ran 53 seconds, and now I got a faster time, so it means things are looking good."


"Now I am looking to the remainder of the season, which I think I am going to do very well," she added.


Former national champion Oshane Bailey took the men's 100m in 10.49.


Ristananna Tracey opened her season on a winning note with 2:09.05 over 800m.


In the girls high schools 4x100m Relays, Herbert Morrison won Class 1 (U-20) in 45.78; Holmwood took Class 2 (U-18) in 47.39 and Wolmer's Class 3 (U-16) in 47.38.


In the boys section, Manchester won Class 1 (U-20) in 41.76, Jamaica College (JC) Class 2 (U-17) in 41.41, Calabar Class 3 (U-15) in 44.79, and Calabar Class 4 (U-13) in 47.17.


Anthony Foster for the IAAF


Pages related to this article
Disciplines
Loading...