Buoyed by Ackeem Blake’s bronze-medal performance at the World Athletics Indoor Championships last month, Dynamics Track Club Head Coach Michael Frater anticipates great achievements from his young sprinter for the remainder of the season.

Blake, 22, clinched the bronze for Jamaica in 6.46 seconds in the final in Glasgow, Scotland, becoming the country’s first man since Asafa Powell in Portland, Oregon, in 2016, to win a medal in the event. The USA’s Christian Coleman secured first place in 6.41, ahead of his teammate Noah Lyles, 6.44.

Frater said Blake’s bronze medal performance has boosted his confidence.

“I believe it has done wonders for him because we must remember that Ackeem lacked experience competing at Champs, so I think this World Indoor bronze medal has done a world of good for his confidence,” Frater said.

“He has now realised that he can compete with the best in the world. I think for the first few years of his professional career, he was just going through the motions and learning how to compete with these guys.

“You can see that his entire demeanour has changed. His training has been going well, and he understands that it’s not just about running fast in one-off races; championships are what truly matter.”

Despite having a personal best time of 9.89s in the 100m and 20.45s in the 200m, Blake did not secure an individual spot on Jamaica’s team for the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, last year. Blake finished fourth in the final at the National Senior Championships last summer.

Frater says Blake had what he describes as exceptional performances last season, particularly at the LA Grand Prix, where he defeated Coleman in the 100m in a personal best 9.89s. He says that while he was pleased with that performance, Blake needs to be more consistent to deliver on the big stage.

“Yes, he won a few races last year, but most of that is forgotten because what truly matters are the championships,” Frater said. “I believe he has grasped that concept, and he’s moving in the right direction with his goals.

“It’s not just about one-off races; he wants to perform exceptionally well at the National Championships and excel even further at the Olympics.

“Not making the team last year for the individual 100m was a significant disappointment for him, so I think this year he is very focused, and he has a different mindset from the beginning of the season.”