Jamaica’s Yohan Blake shows his class in Brisbane meet ahead of Commonwealth Games

FORMER world champion Yohan Blake said he is ready to “take over’’ world men’s sprinting after cruising to a win in Brisbane in his last race before the Commonwealth Games.

FORMER world champion Yohan Blake said he is ready to “take over’’ world men’s sprinting after cruising to a win in Brisbane in his last race before the Commonwealth Games.

Blake, the second-ranked man over 100m last year and the 2011 world title winner, will have his legendary Jamaican compatriot and relay teammate, the retired Usain Bolt, in the stands at Carrara Stadium next month.

“I have been training great. Coach (Glen) Mills has been working assiduously, closely to take the championship. Usain is gone,’’ Blake said after winning the fastest of four heats of the 100m at the Queensland International Track Classic on Wednesday night.

“I am the fastest man over 100m and 200m.’’

England’s Zharnel Hughes, who raced only in a relay on Wednesday night at the State Athletics Facility, will go to the Games with the world’s fastest 100m time of 2018, from his win in 10.01 over Blake (10.05) in Kingston, Jamaica on February 24.

Yohan Blake of Jamaica after winning the mens 100 metres at the Queensland International Track Classic on Wednesday night.

Asked if he was ready to be the dominant sprinter at the Commonwealth Games and later big meets in Europe, Blake said: “I was supposed to do that for a long time if I didn’t get injured. Usain has been pushing me.

“I am the man to take over.’’

Blake clocked 10.34sec (no wind) in a strong heat ahead of Canadian Aaron Brown (10.41) and Sydney’s Rohan Browning (10.46).

Jamaican Julian Forte (10.48) won the second fastest of the heats.

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson runs the women’s 100m in Brisbane on Wednesday night.

Jamaica’s Olympic sprint double champion Elaine Thompson said she would contest only the 200m and 4x100m relay at the Gold Coast Games, making that little bit harder Queensland 17-year-old Riley Day’s chances of making the half-lap final.

Thompson clocked 11.72 (headwind 1.7m/s) in her 100m heat, significantly slower than England’s Dina Asher-Smith (11.30 into a 1m/s headwind) in her heat win.

Queenslander Genevieve LaCaze said she liked her Games 3000m steeplechase medal chances after completing her first race in seven months on Wednesday night since breaking a bone in her foot twice.

The Melbourne-trained LaCaze took on a 1500m and placed ninth in 4min17.23sec behind English winner Laura Weightman(4:05.89)...

Australia’s hope for a gold medal on the first day of athletics competition, Gold Coast’s Dane Bird-Smith, said his 20km walk preparation had been ideal after he won a 3000m track walk in 10min56.06sec.

Bird-Smith will race a course in his home which he helped Games organisers to make more athlete-friendly, eliminating a camber for much of the course around Currumbin.

Meanwhile, Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya is Gold Coast-bound after appearing at a team farewell function in South Africa. The controversial Semenya will be her country’s flag bearer in the opening ceremony on Wednesday night.

Originally published as Jamaica’s Yohan Blake shows his class in Brisbane meet ahead of Commonwealth Games