'I think he can go a lot faster': Canadian sprinter Jerome Blake realizing world-class potential

Aaron Brown first noticed a change in Jerome Blake after his Star Athletics teammate became the fifth-fastest man all-time over 200 metres on a straight track.

Blake achieved the feat last May 23, surprising world-renowned runners from the United States, South Africa and Great Britain to win in 19.89 seconds at the Adidas Boost Boston Games, the Canadian's first sub-20 in the distance.

"After that race, he was a very confident guy, almost too much," Brown recalled ahead of this Saturday's Diamond League meet in Birmingham, England, where he will team with Blake in the 4x100 relay. The event begins at 9 a.m. ET on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

"He kept saying, 'I'm going to run 19 [seconds] at this race and this race.' He didn't let it come naturally and started to put expectations on himself."

Blake would post world-class times in practice, but they didn't translate to competitions on a 400-metre oval track. He also wasn't focused for early season races and not present, mentally, at the start line. The added pressure eventually cost him a spot as a 100 or 200 runner on the 2020 Canadian Olympic team.

Watching a 100 final in Tokyo not featuring Blake infuriated his coach Dennis Mitchell, the 1992 Olympic bronze medallist from the U.S. He tore a stripe off his athlete as they watched the race, five days before Blake and Brown helped Canada to relay bronze.

"I didn't know what I was doing. It was a new [training system] and I was struggling with trusting something new," said Blake, who left coach Tara Self in Coquitlam, B.C., after the 2020 season to train with Brown and Mitchell in Florida. "I didn't trust what he [Mitchell] was telling me.

"But it was more I didn't believe in myself. He gave me a stern