“Jamaicans Are Hardest to Get Along”: Yohan Blake Opens Up on Difficult Times Ahead of Paris Olympics

Jamaica has produced some of the most iconic track and field names over the years. Be it the paragon of track success Usain Bolt or his compatriot and rival Yohan Blake, who kept chasing Bolt every time they had a sprinting face-off, the two kept the fans at the edges of their seats for years, and whenever the duo ran together, it was an absolute treat to watch. However, later in the day, Bolt bid adieu to his career, and Blake sustained some career-threatening injuries, which led to an anticlimax in their stories.

Nonetheless, Blake is still trying his best to get his career back on track, and the two-time Olympic gold medalist recently talked about the hardships he has faced lately. Furthermore, he also revealed some secrets about his personality and talked about his nation and how the Jamaicans are the hardest to get along with.

A champion’s perspective – one of grit and hardship, divulged

During the Sim Soul Sessions podcast with Simone Clarke-Cooper, the track and field prodigy got into a tête-à-tête wherein he talked extensively about how he is highly misunderstood and that he is not the person that everyone thinks he is. He adds that he lives in a country where it’s tough, but one has to be mentally strong. When questioned about the challenges in his country, the four-time Olympic medalist responded, “Jamaica has a hardest people to get along with, Jamaicans and I just feel like if you are not doing something in their eyes, they will just do not care, so I just feel like they don’t understand me.”

Blake also spilled the beans on being mad when people didn’t understand him in the initial days, and it affected him mentally, but later he learned to live with that. He also added that he wanted to show people the other side of him that not many beings are aware of. The St. James Parish native also discussed the adversities he has been through during his childhood, as his family had no money to spend on his education, and he has learned things mainly from YouTube, as most of the money would be used to bring bread and butter for his family. The track and field sensation also talked about how he started his career as a sprinter.

Unveiling Yohan Blake’s journey into track and field dominance

As per his statement, Blake was not a bright student and did not like studying much, so his father suggested he start playing cricket. His father used to make him watch cricket so he could do something for himself, which would ultimately help his family’s financial situation. His father used to put him on the road to run along with cars to go to cricket practice, which made him realize that Blake has some speed.

Read More: Yohan Blake Reveals How Michael Jackson Inspired His Iconic ‘Beast’ Pose

Then he soon transitioned into track and field and started practicing sprinting at the tender age of 16. However, he initially was not that serious about track as much because of the lack of opportunities, but later it ultimately worked out for him. Well, his fans must be thankful that it did, and Blake achieved some significant milestones later, which included two world championship titles, four Olympic medals (two golds and two silvers), and many more shiny talismans.