Blake outshines Bolt

Usain Bolt (left) congratulates his compatriot
Yohan Blake

Usain Bolt is back on top of the world in the 100 metres but not even the year’s fastest run by the world’s fastest man could steal the show in Brussels from the training partner who stole his world title in Daegu.

Yohan Blake, who won the 100m  title three weeks ago after Bolt’ s disqualification for a false start, watched his fellow Jamaican leap to the top of the year’s rankings with a time of 9.76sec in the final Samsung Diamond League meeting of the year.

Six minutes later, Blake trumped that with the second fastest 200 metres ever run, surpassing Michael Johnson’s former world record with a time of 19.26sec. Only the time of 19.19 sec that won Bolt the world title in Berlin two years ago is faster.

‘A wild time,’ Bolt called it, revealing that he had advised Blake beforehand how he should run an event in which he had not bettered 20.33sec this year. ‘He’s run some bad ones, so I told him to take it easy round the bend,’ said Bolt.

Blake, three years younger than Bolt and almost six inches shorter, followed the advice, only pulling away from American Walter Dix in the last 70m. It was a half second improvement on his previous best. Dix with a time of 19.53sec the fourth fastest man of all time.

‘Tonight I was looking for 19.50. I was expecting something fast like that but not this fast. I am like a beast,’ said Blake.

Britain’s world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene was beaten into second place by Puerto Rican Javier Culson but picked up the $40,000 prize as Diamond League champion. Phillips Idowu did likewise in the triple jump even though he finished only fifth fter pulling out after only two attempts.

No green light for Mavado show; promoter cries

Jamaican dancehall artiste Mavado does not have permission to perform in Trinidad, at least not from National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy.

Responding to a question from a reporter about how the singer, with a known reputation for promoting violence in his songs, could gain permission to perform here, Sandy said, “Only if you have given it to him, I have not.”

Mavado, whose real name is David Constantine Brooks, is scheduled to perform alongside two other Jamaican dancehall acts, Konshens and Aidonna, on July 30, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, despite being banned from this country since 2006 for having violent lyrics.

Mavado’s last performance in Trinidad was on March 29 at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, and permission had been granted for that to the promoters by the Ministry.

Noel Smith, one of the promoters for the concert, said they had applied since April 1, for a waiver from the Ministry to allow the July 30 performance, but had received no word. He added that if they do not receive the requisite approval, “We will refund people their money... they’ll have to go back to the ticket seller and they will get a refund.”

Smith also said that it was unfair that his organisation should not be given permission when another promoter, whom he says is a member of the Congress of the People, was granted a similar waiver from the Ministry.