KINGSTON, Jamaica (Sporting Alert) — Reigning World 100m champion Yohan Blake has withdrawn from this weekend’s Jamaica Athletics Administration Association (JAAA) Senior Championships and will concentrate on being ready for the World Championships in Moscow, later on this summer.
Blake, who doesn’t need to qualify for Moscow over the 100m because he’s the defending champion in the discipline, had planned to earn a spot in the 200m from the trials, but a setback due to an injury earlier this season forced him to just concentrate on just running one event.
“Yohan Blake has withdrawn from the National Championships,” a statement from Blake’s manager Cubie Seegobin confirmed.
“Yohan’s coach (Glen Mills) is not satisfied with the progress of his injury and hence his level of fitness will not allow him to compete at this time.
“We will continue to assess the situation and re-evaluate as we approach the World championships,” Seegobin added.
On return from injury on June 8 at a local meeting in Kingston, Blake ran a sluggish looking 20.72secs and had to work hard to hold off his challengers in the home straight.
Blake’s training partner Usain Bolt, who also only recently returned from injury, has had a less than sharp start to his season, but is expected to make the Jamaica team.
Bolt, who jumped the gun and was disqualified from the 100m dash in 2011, is expected to run just that discipline at the Jamaica trials, as he already has a wild card for the 200m, being the defending champion.
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