Jamaican sprinter Ackeem Blake has thanked his coach, Michael Frater, for helping him to win the Diamond League Final.

The 22-year-old stormed to victory in the 100m in Brussels on Friday, beating United States stars Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.

Blake beat Kerley, who won bronze at Paris 2024Getty

It saw him bounce back from crashing out of the Olympics in Paris at the semi-final stage after narrowly missing out on competing in the final.

And after claiming victory with a time of 9.93, Blake thanked his coach Frater, who raced with icon and eight-time Olympic gold winner Usain Bolt during his own Jamaican sprinting career.

Taking to X on Monday, the 22-year-old said: “In this moment, I was deeply focused, I could hear my coach Michael Frater guiding me through every phase of the race. 

“After a devastating exit in the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics. My team and I decided that we must put all our resources into making and taking the Diamond League Final.

“Thanks to everyone who believed. See you next season. I’m out. One Love! x”

Frater won gold with Bolt and the Jamaican relay team in the 4x100m at London 2012.

He was also crowned world champion in 2009 and 2011 in the same event.

But despite being coached by one of the best in the business and him putting his all into preparing for the Diamond League, Blake was still shocked he won on Friday.

Speaking after the race he said: “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 still I ran a time pretty close to my personal best.

Blake paraded his Jamaica flag with pride after winningAFP

“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.”

His finish in Belgium was unique in that he was the only one who managed to break ten seconds.

Coleman ran 10.00 in second, just holding off fellow American Kerley on 10.01.

Earlier this year, in Glasgow at the World Indoor Championship, Blake became the first Jamaican to win a medal at a sprint global competition since Usain Bolt when he took bronze in the 60m.

Bolt, the greatest sprinter in modern times, was third in the men’s 100m at the World Championship in London.

Finishing third with 6.46 seconds, that day he lost out to Christian Coleman and Olympic champion Noah Lyles.