Usain, Yohan must stay on guard

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Among the more enduring photographs of 2011 is of the incomparable Mr Usain Bolt standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow Jamaican sprinter Mr Yohan Blake as they watched an on-screen rerun of Mr Blake's performance moments before at a meet in Belgium.

Eyes wide and hand over mouth, Mr Bolt looked suitably impressed. Mr Blake had just run 19.26 seconds over 200 metres — just 0.7 seconds off Mr Bolt's two-year-old world record and the second fastest time ever over that distance.

Back then, before then, and since, Mr Bolt has consistently, openly and with seeming honesty spoken of his admiration for Mr Blake. The latter has done likewise in relation to Mr Bolt. Both have consistently spoken of their friendship.

The cynics will argue that they could not be expected to say otherwise since they are training partners in the camp of that legendary coach Mr Glen Mills.

In that respect, it should come as no surprise to those of us who are familiar with how the media works that there are now news stories that are delicately, and not so delicately, exploring the rivalry between the camp mates.

We note one colourful quote attributed to a senior Caribbean athlete to the effect that "two male crabs" should not be expected to co-exist peacefully in the same "hole".

It is against all that background that Mr Bolt saw it necessary at the recent 2011 RJR Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year award ceremony to reaffirm that he and Mr Blake remain great friends even in rivalry.

"A lot of things have been stirring in the media so I just decided [when] I have a chance I would clear it up. It's good to have rivalry, but I think when you're trying to break up a friendship, that's the wrong way to go," Mr Bolt is quoted as saying.

"The rivalry will always be there because we're great athletes and we're going to be great competitors, but in training it's just hard work and we're friends and when we go out there it's a different story. If I win, Jamaica wins, and if Yohan wins, Jamaica wins, so it's good for the country anyway," he added.

That's well said. But we think it important to tell the two athletes as well as their handlers that media hype surrounding their rivalry, and even suggestions that there is covert hostility, won't go away.

As the Summer Olympics in London draw closer, they must expect more probing along those lines. How they respond to the myriad questions thrown at them will be crucial. They must think and choose their words carefully.

Those in administration at club level and in Jamaica's track and field should pay close attention. The seeds of destructive disunity are very easily sown.

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COMMENTS (6)

stanley buffett
2/4/2012

the media got a job to do and their job is to entertain if the media publish the bolt and blake asfa are good friends it is not as exiting but when they publish that there is problem in thier professional relationship people like vultures swarm down on that.the media is the conduit for gossip,they are cold they got to get their ratings ask their producer thats their job,lots of success to all these young men be good roll models for your countr and the young ones who will follow

Fabian Williams
1/30/2012

@Anthony II thanks for the insight. I am also thinking that the rivalry will make both men financially richer.

fall mouth
1/29/2012

I don't understand the advise that is being given to these gentlemen. The editorial makes absolutely no sense to me. What is it trying to say?
I would have much preferred to hear what is being said by the auditor general.

Ray Stennett
1/28/2012

The media need sensationalism to create interest in their story line. Regardless of Mr Bolt and Mr Blake plead that there is no hostility between them, someone in the media will try to create it in order to be the first to break the news. It's good to have clean rivalry because it creates more excitement for the fans. This give fans great memories to talk about like Magic vs Larry, Ali vs Frazier Yankee vs Red Sox, Brazil vs Argentina etc. Bolt is level headed and Blake is learning. Let them be.

enquiring mind
1/28/2012

Mr Bolt's words were aimed at the media, so kindly turn your torchlight within, instead of simply warning Bolt and Blake to expect what they are already having to deal with.
In Mr Bolt's own words, the media is going in the wrong direction, in effect trying to break a friendship in an effort to sell a few more copies of its papers or gain a few listeners to its programs. There are other ways of covering a rivalry and if those need to be explained perhaps the reporters should be in different jobs

Anthony II
1/28/2012

We have to start dealing with the fact that fans, media, event sponsors, advertisers, and so on love rivalries in sports. We really do not care for athletes living "in peace and harmony." That is not "interesting." So, these athletes and their coaches/reps/advisors need to get used to that. So, what could be construed as trying to "break up a friendship" could simply be efforts to make things interesting for those of us who love rivalries in sports!
.
"Mr Bolt" and "Mr Blake" seems so forced.

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Usain, Yohan must stay on guard