“Usain, unfortunately he can’t be here, but he sends his regards to everyone and he’s expecting someone to step up and fill his spot.” Those were the words of Yohan Blake, the 2011 world 100m champion, at today’s press conference, where 13 athletes from Kenya, the USA, Great Britain, Jamaica, and The Bahamas spoke to a packed press conference about this weekend’s inaugural IAAF World Relays.
Blake, who trains with Bolt, acknowledged that as the leader of Jamaica’s first 4x100m relay team in years without either Asafa Powell or Usain Bolt, he had some big shoes to fill himself. “I just want to keep the train going,” he said. “I love relays myself and a good performance here would be a good return to competition for me.”
“It’s good to come here,” to The Bahamas, in a time zone and climate the Jamaicans are used to, added Blake. “They’ll see the best of us.”