Jamaica's Blake doubtful for sprint relay final
(Reuters) - Jamaica's Yohan Blake is a doubt for the 4x100 meters relay final at the World Athletics Championships and will be assessed by medical staff before Saturday's final, head Coach Maurice Wilson said.
Blake has not been able to train at full pace in the leadup to the race, which will be sprint great Usain Bolt's last on the track.
“Well I cannot speak definitively on it until I have had conversations with the medical staff,” Wilson told Television Jamaica.
"The possibility exists that we may have some niggles."
The coach was asked whether Blake had trained with the team in relay practice on Saturday.
“Well he did some hand offs today at about half-pace and we’re expecting that if there is a problem he’s a professional athlete, he’s an experienced athlete; he will have that conversation with the medical staff, he will also be examined by the medical staff if there is a problem,” the coach said.
The Jamaican men’s quartet of Tyquendo Tracey, 100m semi-finalist Julian Forte, debutant Michael Campbell and 11-time world championship gold medalist Bolt clocked 37.95 seconds, the third fastest time to advance to the final.
The U.S. team featuring Justin Gatlin and Christian Coleman, logged a world leading 37.70 seconds to win the first heat, followed by Britain on 37.76 seconds.