The city of London holds good memories for Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake.

At the 2012 Olympic Games he won silver medals in the 100m and 200m, finishing behind his friend and training partner Usain Bolt on both occasions. The 200m was especially memorable as his other training partner, Warren Weir took the bronze in a 200m medal sweep for Jamaica.

A year before in 2011, Blake became the youngest-ever World Champion over 100m after Bolt false-started, and he went on to win in a time of 9.92s in Daegu, South Korea.

Since the London Olympic Games, however, Blake has had a terrible time with injuries, pulling his hamstring in 2013 and again in 2014, before finally making his way back to fitness in time for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

His 4x100m gold medal at the games has reignited his taste for success, and he has one final opportunity to win international medals alongside Bolt at the World Championships in London next month.

Blake won both the 100m and 200m at the National Senior Championships in June, signalling a full return to form and fitness. But just when all seemed set to go, he pulled out of the Rabat Diamond League in Morocco a few days ago, reportedly with a sore groin. While it was said to be a precautionary measure, the timing of the injury could not be any worse for the 27-year-old.

The return from injury has been a tough task for Blake, and he has spoken of how difficult it has been mentally for him. So it begs the question, will this latest setback take a toll on the youngest 100m World Champion ever?

Between Bolt and Blake, the Men’s 100m World Championship gold medal has been won by a Jamaican since 2009, and both men will be aiming to continue the winning streak for the Caribbean island.

With the challengers lining up and smelling blood, both Blake and Bolt will be severely tested in London. Bolt has had a fairly low-keyed season, recording his first sub-10 clocking at the Monaco Diamond League on Friday, turning back the challenges of Isiah Young of the USA and Akani Sibini of South Africa to win in 9.95 seconds.

He did admit, however, that more is left to be done. “It was good, I’m going in the right direction; there is still a lot of work to do,” Bolt was quoted as saying.

Monaco was the final Diamond League meeting before the World Championships, which means Blake will head into the games race rusty and with the injury cloud hanging over his head.

Having overcome an ordinary start to his season before putting together a fine series of races on Jamaican soil, where he looked his usual strong and powerful self, the Yohan Blake fans will be hoping that it will be a case of ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’, especially since he was deemed heir to the throne by Bolt himself.

Not only is it important for Blake to line up in the 100m and 200m in London, but he is also an integral part of a relay team that is not as strong as it once was. Missing are the likes of Asafa Powell, Michael Frater, and Nickel Ashmeade, who were all part of the period of Jamaican dominance since the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008.

With just about two weeks to go before the start of the World Championships, which marks the final international track and field championships for the legendary Usain Bolt, Jamaican track and field fans will be hoping that Blake will be ready to line up beside the “big man”, one last time.