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 I’m the second-fastest man alive but no respect from my own country …Yohan Blake laments

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• Blake (left) was a key figure in the fastest-ever Olympic 4x100m relay team

Every so often, an athlete may feel they were born in the wrong era.

Andy Murray emerged amongst tennis’ ‘Big Three’ to claim three Grand Slam titles, but many argue his total would have been far more had he been born in a differ­ent generation.

A similar case may be made for Neymar, whose undeniable talent would perhaps have seen him claim multiple Ballon d’Ors were it not for the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

And if there is one athlete who arguably best captures this argument, its sprinter Yohan Blake.

The second fastest man of all time, the Jamaican had the misfortune of coming up against Olympic legend, Usain Bolt, in his prime.

Blake won two silver medals at Lon­don 2012 in the 100m and 200m, coming second to Bolt in both events, who tasted Games glory eight times in his historic career.

And though the 35-year-old boasts two Olympic golds in the 4 x 100m relay, won alongside the fastest man alive, he has insisted that he is not celebrated for his achievements back in Jamaica.

Speaking after a Diamond League event in July 2024, Blake claimed that some of his impres­sive feats are overlooked in his home country.

He said: “My own country Jamaica doesn’t give me the respect.

“But I’m happy they don’t because other people outside do, and they appre­ciate me more than my own country.

“I’m happy that I’m able to be crowned elsewhere apart from Jamaica, so I’m look­ing to continue to do what I’m doing until I’m happy to step away when it’s time.”

Explaining the lack of support in his and Bolt’s homeland, Blake suggested that his compatriot’s record-breaking achievements have overshadowed his own.

The athletics star con­tinued: “Jamaica loves winners and once you’re not winning, they’re not sup­porting you.

“But I don’t need their support, I have my own support staff and I’m my own motivator.”

Despite feeling a lack of encouragement from his home fans, Blake has still had plenty to celebrate in his career.

In addition to his four Olympic medals, the sprinter is a two-time world champion, winning gold in both the 100m and 4 x 100m relay after Bolt was disqualified in the final of the former.

With a 100m personal best of 9.69 seconds, Blake stands alongside US sprinter Tyson Gay as the joint second fastest man in event history, behind Bolt.

It is a similar story in the 200m, with Blake’s 19.26 mark only just behind his fellow countryman’s record of 19.19.

Meanwhile, his times of 9.75 in 100m and 19.44 in 200m in the finals at London 2012 are the fastest Olympic sprints in history to place second in the respective events.

Given just how high Blake ranks among sprinting’s all-time greats without ever tast­ing individual Olympic glory, the Jamaican would certainly be forgiven for feeling slightly hard done by.

And in 2019, he admitted that had it not been for Bolt, he would have dominated the field of sprinting.

Speaking to the Times of India, he said: “If you take Bolt away from the picture, I would be the fastest man in everything. I feel like I was born at the wrong time.

“But nevertheless, I am happy with what I have achieved. Yes, it was hard because it was his time and it was hard competing against Bolt.” –talksports.com

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FA releases final 2024-25 Ghana Premier League table

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• Kurt Okraku - GFA President

The curtains came down on the thrilling 2024-25 Premier League season on Sun­day, with Bibiani GoldStars clinching their first-ever league title.

After a challenging 2023-24 cam­paign that saw them flirting with relegation, Heart of Lions mount­ed a stunning resurgence to claim a second-place finish this season.

Joining them in the top four were Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak, with Kotoko edg­ing their archrivals to third place based on the head-to-head rule, as stipulated in Article 7(4) of the Premier League regulations.

The Porcupine Warriors secured a 1-0 victory over Hearts in Kuma­si and held their rivals to a goalless draw in Accra, giving them the advantage in the direct encoun­ters and ultimately determining their superior position on the final league table.

Dreams FC achieved their highest-ever league finish, securing sixth place. Their final surge saw them overtake former champions, FC Samartex 1996, Medeama SC, and Aduana FC.

The season ended in disap­pointment for Accra Lions, Legon Cities and Nsoatre­man FC, all of whom were relegated to the Access Bank Division One League.

Meanwhile the Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Mr Kurt Okraku, sent a message of appreciation to the 18 clubs that participated in the 2024-25 Premier League season.

“To our new champions, Gold­Stars FC, congratulations on a well-deserved title. To those who fell short, I urge you to take pride in your journey and come back stronger,” he said in the statement.

“The statement also acknowl­edged the invaluable work of match officials, administrators, medical teams, grounds men, vol­unteers, and media partners, who are the backbone of the football ecosystem, for their invaluable con­tribution throughout the exciting campaign,” he stated.

“To our loyal supporters, your energy continues to breathe life into the league. You are the soul of Ghana football, and your love for the game remains our greatest source of inspiration,” Mr Okraku added.

He called for a sober reflection on a few unfortunate incidents that occurred at some match venues.

These moments, while regret­table, he emphasised, served as critical reminders of the work that still lies ahead in shaping a safer, more respectful football culture.

Moreover, he said the FA remains firmly committed to strengthening education at the club level and enhancing match day pro­tocols to ensure a more secure and inclusive environment for players, officials, and fans alike.

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Police Ladies set to represent Ghana in CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers

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Malta Guinness Women’s Premier League champions Police Ladies will represent Ghana at the upcoming WAFU B CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers.

The tournament is scheduled to take place in Cote d’Ivoire from Saturday, August 19 to Sunday, August 24, 2025.

This marks a significant opportunity for Police Ladies to showcase their skills, make Ghana proud and fight for the sole ticket for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League.

They follow in the footsteps of Hasaacas Ladies and Ampem Darkoa Ladies, who have previously represented Ghana in the championship.

With their talent and determination, Police Ladies are poised to make a strong impression and bring glory to Ghanaian football.

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 Gold Stars to be crowned GPL champions Saturday

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Mr Kurt Okraku presenting the trophy to the skipper of Hohoe United while officials of the club watch on in adminiration

 Gold Stars on Sunday closed the chapter on what could be their finest football season ever, demolishing already rele­gated Accra Lions 4-0 to emerge champions of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League (GPL).

The win confirmed the Timber giants as a new entity among GPL winners. They also drilled the final nail into the coffin of Accra Lions as they head to battle for a return to the elite stage of football from the Division One League (DOL).

On Saturday, a carnival atmo­sphere is anticipated around the precincts of Bibiani as they host Medeama in a coronation match at the Dun’s Park with kick-off set at 3pm.

A game between the two under normal circumstances would have produced a lot of fireworks as they chase the bragging rights for their emerging rivalry.

However, Saturday’s game would be one more for celebration as the hosts are crowned champions of the just ended season.

Expected to be in attendance are executive members of the Football Association led by its president, Mr Kurt Okraku, top officials of the club as well as officials from their sponsors.

A similar exercise is expected to take place at Swedru where local side, Swedru All Blacks, will be crowned champions of Zone Two of the Access Bank Division One League on Saturday.

They would take on Soccer Intellectuals in a game expected to thrill their audience and show their preparedness for life in the Premier League.

The Black Magicians, as they are known, secured the title with a game to spare, finishing with 66 points from 30 matches (21 wins, 3 draws, 6 losses).

Meanwhile, Hohoe United were officially crowned champions of the Access Bank DOL Zone 3 after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Home Stars in a coronation match last Saturday at the Hohoe Sports Complex.

All three goals were scored in a pulsating first half exchanges.

The triumph marks a historic milestone for Hohoe United, who have now secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time since their rebranding from Liberty Professionals.

This long-awaited qualifica­tion comes in their third attempt, following the club’s change of ownership and relocation from the capital to Hohoe.

In attendance were GFA presi­dent, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, Executive Council member Samuel Aboabire, club owner and former Member of Parliament for Hohoe, Mr John Peter Amewu, and revered traditional leader Togbega Gabusu VII.

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