Yohan Blake
Jamaica
Athletics
Overall Ranks
#18 among Track & Field Athletes
#13 among Male Track & Field Athletes
#4 among Jamaican Olympians
#2 among Male Jamaican Olympians
Olympic Results
2012
100m - Silver
200m - Silver
4x100m Relay - Gold
2016
4x100m Relay - Gold
Total
Events - 8
Gold - 2
Silver - 2
Yohan Blake was born on December 26, 1989 in Saint James, Jamaica, and grew up playing cricket, but after a coach saw how fast he could run, he was encouraged to become a sprinter. In 2009, he became the youngest sprinter ever to break 10 seconds in the 100m, though his record was broken 6 months later. In 2011, he became the youngest-ever World Champion in the 100m, a record he still holds.
He made the Jamaican Olympic team in 2012 by beating Usain Bolt in the Olympic trials, and in the 100m event, he won both of his heats to advance to the final, where he was joined by Bolt, along with Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin from the USA. Bolt was the defending Olympic champion and world record holder, while Blake was the defending world champion, but in the final, Bolt came from behind early to pass the field and finish in 9.63 seconds, while Blake finished just behind in 9.75 seconds, the fastest Olympic time ever not by Bolt, winning the silver medal.
In the 200m, Blake had also beaten Bolt in the Olympic trials, but Bolt was healthier now, and was the favorite after winning the 100m. Blake again won both of his heats to advance to the final, but Bolt ran a blistering curve and was 2 meters ahead of Blake entering the straightaway. He was not able to make up any distance, but he finished in 19.44 seconds, 0.12 behind Bolt, to win another silver medal, again in the fastest Olympic time ever not by Bolt.
The two medalists teamed up with Nesta Carter and Michael Frater in the 4x100m relay a couple of days later, and they were the favorites, with only the USA given any chance to beat them. Carter gave Jamaica a slight lead on the first leg, which Frater and Blake were able to maintain, and then Bolt took the baton and pulled away slightly to beat the Americans by 0.2 seconds to set a new world record and take home the gold.
He returned to the Olympics in 2016 in Rio, after recovering from multiple hamstring injuries since 2012, competing in the same 3 events. In the 100m, he won his prelim heat, but came in 2nd in his next heat, behind Justin Gatlin, who had won silver at the World Championships the year before, but he still reached the final. In the final, Bolt made his patented move during the middle of the race, while Blake was left chasing, and this time he finished just short of a medal, 0.02 second short of taking the bronze.
In the 200m, he had the third-fastest time in the prelim, but after finishing 6th in his semifinal race, he failed to reach the final. The Jamaicans were still heavy favorites in the 4x100m relay, and Blake was given the second leg in the final, which they won for the third straight Olympics, this time by 0.33 seconds, but not in world record time this time.
Blake returned to compete in Tokyo in 2021, but wasn't as successful this time. He advanced out of the first round of the 100m, but came in 6th in his semifinal, which kept him out of the final for the first time. He also ran in the 4x100m relay, but with Bolt retired, they were no longer favored. He ran the third leg, and they won their heat, but in the final they ended up in 4th place, falling short of a medal by 0.05 seconds.
Blake retired in 2022, and has started a new career as a track coach. Even though both of his Olympic gold medals came in relays, his two silver medals were the fastest losing times in history, and he was always in contention, which makes him one of the greatest Olympians of all time.
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