Yohan Blake will not run the men’s 100m at Sunday’s IAAF Diamond League meet in Rabat, Morocco due to a right groin injury.
Blake withdrew ahead of the competition after suffering the injury during a training session on Friday.
“Warming up yesterday I felt just a little bit tight, not an injury, but just a little bit of tightness in the groin,” Blake said on his disappointment in pulling out during the Rabat Diamond League press conference. “And I just want to play it safe. Because I know I’m the next person to take over from Usain. I just have to be patient until the world championships.”
“I’m glad to be back here” @YohanBlake on his disappointment in pulling out of the #RabatDL through injury#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/UdMhNmedWH
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) July 15, 2017
The sprinter will leave Rabat early Sunday morning and travel to Germany for treatment.
Blake has run 9.90 (+0.9 m/s ) and 19.97 (+1.0 m/s wind) season’s best times in the men’s 100m and 200m, to become the National 100m and 200m Champion, achieving fourth consecutive victory so far this season.
The 2011 world 100m champion is among 14 others Jamaicans, including track stars Elaine Thompson, will compete at the Rabat Diamond League in Morocco set for Sunday, July 16, as part of their preparations for the world championships August 4-13 in London.
Jamaican athletes expected to compete at Rabat Diamond League
Men
100m – Yohan Blake
200m – Rasheed Dwyer and Warren Weir will face Canadian Andre De Grasse.
Long Jump – Tajay Gayle
Shot Put – O’Dayne Richards.
Women
100m –Jura Levy, Elaine Thompson, Christania Williams
400m – Shericka Jackson and Novlene Williams-Mills will face Natasha Hastings, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, and 800m star Caster Semenya.
400m Hurdles – Janieve Russel, Nikita Tracey, Ristananna Tracey, Rhonda Whyte
Triple Jump – Kimberly Williams
