When he was 15-years-old, Jerome Blake told himself he was going to compete in the Olympic Games someday.
The dream began in his home country of Jamaica when he was tasked with researching different athletes for a school project. He stumbled across Jamaican-Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey, who recorded a time of 9.84 seconds to win the gold medal for the 100-metre dash at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
乌鸦传媒淲hen I read that he was actually from Jamaica, I was like 乌鸦传媒楳an, I wanna do that one day,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 said Blake. 乌鸦传媒淢ove to Canada or something like that and go run for Canada.乌鸦传媒�
Nearly 10 years later, Blake did just that. Representing Team Canada, he walked away from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a bronze medal for the men乌鸦传媒檚 4x100m relay, alongside Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown and Brendon Rodney.
乌鸦传媒淛ust to see that come to fruition 乌鸦传媒� I feel like I乌鸦传媒檝e come full circle. It乌鸦传媒檚 been quite the journey so far,乌鸦传媒� said Blake.
Born in the Buff Bay settlement of Portland, Jamaica, Blake was a 400-metre hurdler, high and long jumper before he was a sprinter. In 2013, when he was 16, he relocated to Kelowna with his mother and brother. Upon moving to Canada, he switched to sprinting after coaches recognized his potential in the sport.
READ MORE: Okanagan athletes, coach headed to Tokyo Olympics
He competed in 2017乌鸦传媒檚 RBC Training Ground in Kamloops and was chosen as one of 30 young athletes to be funded by the program. In 2018, Blake received his Canadian citizenship and made his international debut for Canada that same year at the NACAC Championships in Toronto, winning gold in the 4x100m relay.
But for Blake, to have had the opportunity to represent Canada on the international stage at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was a feeling like none other.
乌鸦传媒淵ou get lots of love, lots of support from the country,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 amazing to see all the support you get from Canada and everyone who watches track and field. It was pretty amazing for me.乌鸦传媒�
2016 I was watching the Olympics on tv, 2021 I乌鸦传媒檓 packing for the Olympics.
乌鸦传媒� Jerome Blake (@JeromeBlake11)
Winning an Olympic bronze medal on Aug. 6, he said, 乌鸦传媒渄idn乌鸦传媒檛 feel real.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淏ut once I got it, I was just looking at it. Like I乌鸦传媒檓 finally an Olympic medalist,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Despite competing in the midst of a global pandemic, he said that the experience was everything he expected and more. Having to take extra precautionary measures to avoid contracting COVID-19 allowed him to zero in on his performance.
乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e so focused on just sports, and that乌鸦传媒檚 it. That乌鸦传媒檚 where all your focus was,乌鸦传媒� he said.
While some athletes filled the stadium乌鸦传媒檚 seats, competing in a venue without spectators felt like training for Blake, which helped ease the pressure.
乌鸦传媒淏ecause at training, there乌鸦传媒檚 nobody there watching you. It乌鸦传媒檚 just you, your coach and maybe your teammates,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Three days after winning bronze, Blake was on a plane out of Tokyo. But there are no days off for the 26-year-old 乌鸦传媒� he went straight back to work, this time in Clermont, Fla., where he乌鸦传媒檚 training for some track meets in Switzerland.
In terms of how he plans to celebrate his Olympic victory, he said he hasn乌鸦传媒檛 thought that far ahead.
乌鸦传媒淏ut I feel like I乌鸦传媒檓 gonna do something cool,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Setting a goal and achieving his dream is how he said he乌鸦传媒檒l remember his experience in Tokyo. His advice for young athletes aspiring to compete in the Olympics someday? 乌鸦传媒淏et on yourself, always,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淣o dream is too far-fetched. No goal is never too big,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淜eep dreaming, stay positive and just keep working. You can achieve anything you set your mind to.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: Recapping Tokyo 2020: Canada乌鸦传媒檚 medal count hits 24
aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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