Ackeem Blake was the surprise winner of the men’s 100m at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels, beating a stacked field to walk away with the trophy and the prize money of $30,000.
The Jamaican wunderkind dipped under 10 seconds, clocking an impressive 9.93 seconds ahead of defending champion Christian Coleman who finished second in 10.00 seconds. Fred Kerley completed the podium, clocking 10.01 seconds to cross the finish line.
In a post-race interview, Blake explained that he never expected to have an easy win since the field was strong and the weather was unfavourable. Despite the Paris Olympics setback, Blake stayed grounded and kept working hard, believing that his time would come.
His effort paid off eventually, with a dominant win in the men’s 100m in Brussels. He expressed confidence in himself and explained that the win was only the beginning of a great chapter as he gears up for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
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“For me, it was a surprise to win here today. It was a very competitive field and it was also my first DL final. This really means a lot to me. It was rather cold to sprint tonight, but I still ran a time pretty close to my personal best,” Blake said.
“I’ve been working very hard this season and I kept motivated. That’s why I am so strong at the end of this season. I know what I am capable of and I know that this is only the beginning. There’s much more to come in the next years.”
The 22-year-old started his season with a great indoor run, claiming the bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships before beginning his outdoor campaign. He went on to finish third at the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen before fifth place at the meeting in Suzhou.
He was unfortunately disqualified from the men’s 100m at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix and later competed at the Prefontaine Classic where he finished fifth. At the Jamaican Olympic trials, he finished third and then raced at the Diamond League Meeting in London where he managed fifth before the Olympic Games.
In Paris, Blake finished fifth in the semifinal of the men’s 100m and failed to proceed to the final. After the Olympics, he went on to finish third at the Diamond League Meeting in Silesia and fourth in Rome. He won the race at the Galà dei Castelli and extended the winning streak to the Diamond League Meeting final.
