Former World 100m Champ looking for IPL stint

Two time Olympic champion and world’s fastest man in 2011, Jamaica’s Yohan Blake said his first love is cricket and he is keen to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier league (IPL) after he calls it a day for track and field.

“I am looking forward to playing in the IPL with RCB when I finish my track and field career,” said Blake in an interview following the press conference by his sponsor Adidas held at Mall of Qatar.

Blake who has two Olympic gold medals and two World Championship gold medals to his name with personal bests of 9.69 seconds in the 100m and 19.26 seconds in the 200m was at one time regarded as best sprinter in track events after legendary fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt. He was part of the famous Jamaican 4x100m relay team who shattered the world record clocking 36.84 seconds in 2012.

Unlike in Sri Lanka, where many talented track and field athletes later turned to cricket eyeing financial security in the future, in Jamaica it has been the other way around where Blake said he was forced to give up cricket and concentrate on track and field.

“My first love has been cricket and coming from a poor background my parents pushed me into athletics”, said Blake, who has the responsibility of carrying Jamaican sprinting forward following the retirement of Usain Bolt from the last world championship.

“I was a fast bowler and I was running fast to deliver the ball. I have all the cricketing facilities at home. I have installed cricket nets, including a bowling machine, to have regular cricket sessions in my backyard”, said Blake.

When asked about his favourite cricketer, Blake went on and on about an entire list of greats, with Thilakarathne Dilshan being ‘my man’ from among Sri Lankan cricketers.

“I love Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara, Virat Kholi, Zaheer Khan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera” … and the list went on.