THE FOCUS for the last two weeks has been on Jamaica's fastest junior ever - Yohan Blake - who delighted the nation with some spectacular performances.

Let's start with Champs - Blake ran 10.21 for the boys Class One 100m record, improving on his personal best of 10.33.

He later anchored St. Jago to the sprint relay crown, which was achieved with a 39.80 seconds run, yes, it was impressive because it was the first time in the history of Jamaica track and field that a schoolboy team had gone below 40 seconds.

Blake was also instrumental in his team's mile relay victory (3:09.51) in another Champs record.

The 17-year-old World Junior Championships 100m bronze medallist confirmed that he is the real deal by rounding off a fortnight of top performances with 10.18 and 10.11 at the Carifta Games. In the semis, Blake got out slow but, by 60 metres, the field was chasing and he lowered Raymond Stewart's 23-year-old record of 10.19.

Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic Games silver medallist, Ato Boldon, described Blake as the real deal and one to contend with Asafa Powell very soon.

Some are even saying only Powell can beat him at June's National Championships and that a place on Jamaica's team to the World Championships in Osaka is certain.

However, unlike many others, I am not going to be one to say Blake is going to contend with Asafa; or Blake is going to be the next Asafa; or even predict him to break the world record or win the Olympic 100m gold medal some day.

Special talent

What I would say is that he is a special talent and should be protected and not pressured. Too often we predict the next Pele, Merlene Ottey, Donald Quarrie, Brian Lara, Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods and become disappointed ... so, please, let the young man grow without predicting his future.

Much attention will focus around Blake and nothing is wrong with that, but let's take a look on the supporting side.

Recently, a man was quoted by this newspaper saying, "I am not preparing a one-day star, I try to do it incrementally," referring to the question of whether or not Blake will race against the big boys at next month's Jamaica Invitational. This is a man who has the athlete's interest at heart; this is the man who took this little boy from primary school after he finished fifth in a 100m final.

This man is Danny Hawthorne who was also responsible for the then fastest Jamaican junior female - Nicole Mitchell.

Big up Danny for the work that he is doing with, not only Yohan Blake, but also St. Jago boys and, on a whole, for athletics in Jamaica.

Good predictions

Last but at least, I told you that Calabar and Holmwood would win Champs, and they did, which I am glad for because maybe I would not be here now writing this piece.

Calabar ended with 273.5 points while Holmwood accumulated 353.5 points.

Blake, Calabar's Ramone McKenzie who broke two records - Class Two 200m (20.89) and 400m (47.24) - Keiron Stewart who ran 13.53 to break the national junior 110m hurdles record, Manchester High's Shana-Gaye Tracey, a first-year Class Two athlete who won the 400m hurdles Open (59.85) and 400m (53.53), Herbert Morrison's Antonique Campbell, who took the sprint double in Class Three, and Immaculate's Danielle Jeffery in Class Two in the same events, were my top performers.

Also a special mention was Kemoy Campbell of Bellfield who ran a record 3:58 to win the boys' Class Two 1,500m.

At the Carifta Games, apart from Blake's impressive display, Herbert Morrison's Dexter Lee, who won the Under-17 sprint double, Campbell, who won the Under-17 1,500m and 3,000m, and Stewart's national junior record of 13.49 in the 110m hurdles, were my highlights.

Again, Jamaica dominated, breaking eight Championships and two national records winning 76 medals - more than twice the amount of second place Trinidad and Tobago.

Anthony.foster@gleanerjm.com