Gregory Little, coach of rising Jamaican sprint star Ackeem Blake, says his young charge is looking forward to putting on a good showing when he competes in the men’s indoor 60 metres at the Millrose Games in the United States on February 11.

The 20-year-old Blake, who will be competing indoors for the first in his career, is down to face the American trio of 2018 World Indoor champion Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles and Ronnie Baker. The field also includes Miles Lewis, the 60m national record holder from Puerto Rico, and Josephus Lyles, Noah’s younger brother.

Little told the Jamaica Observer that Blake, who has a personal best time of 6.61 in the 60m outdoors, has been training well so far this season and he is expecting a quality performance from his client at the Millrose Games.

“This season we have ran a few 60 metres locally, and so we are going to continue the same trend for next season,” said Little.

“I think that this will help him to learn to run the first part of his race better, so therefore we are trying to put the race together better and so this is part of his preparations for next season.

“He also needs this type of competition to get the experience and I believe that this will help him further down in the season because these are some of the same competitors that he will be facing throughout the year,” he added.

Blake, who burst on the scene this year, has a personal best time of 9.93 seconds in the 100m, which he achieved in June at the National Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston. In fact, Blake is the third-fastest Jamaican in 2022 behind his clubmate Yohan Blake (9.85) and Oblique Seville from Racers (9.86).

Little underscored that he is feeling good about the strides that Blake has been making in training this year and expects that to translate into stellar performances in 2023.

“He is feeling okay and he is looking forward to this meet because he is excited to compete as this is going to be his first indoor meet ever. His preparation has been going very well and he is showing signs of hunger just the same as this year, and so I am expecting better from him in the 2023 season,” Little ended.