Bolt compatriot could pose threat to his 100M Olympics dominance

After initially appearing a shoo-in for success in the 100m sprint at the Olympics, the biggest threat to Usain Bolt’s 8/11 chances looks as though it will come from his own training camp.

Indeed, compatriot and sprint training partner Yohan Blake triumphed over Bolt in both the 100m and 200m Jamaican sprint trials, bettering the ‘fastest man on the planet’s’ personal best for the first time.

In the aftermath, Blake is a 13/8 shot to claim the 100m sprint crown at London 2012, as he aims to achieve a time similar to the blistering 9.75 seconds he recorded last month.

Blake is currently the reigning world champion over a 100m distance, though his success in Daegu did come following a disqualification for Bolt after a false start.

Also, Bolt’s victory in the 200m race only six days later established his position as favourite for gold medals in either race come this summer’s Olympics.

However, the superb displays from Blake in last month’s Jamaican trials in Kingston has seen his price tumble somewhat, and after improving every year since joining Bolt at the Racers Track Club in 2008, further improvement at London could see him cause an upset.

22-year-old Blake is adamant that Bolt’s sheer presence has spurred him on to exceed meanwhile, telling reporters, “Every time in training I want to win but he’s always there. So I say ‘OK, how am I going to win on the big day?'”

“That’s why some of the time I tend to be at the front so when I get on the track I can say ‘OK, I beat him in training’.”

All that said though, Bolt is still likely to see much support from punters at 8/11, considering the three Olympic gold medals he scooped on his previous outing at the Games four years ago.

Blake would appear to be his only real rival in the 100m race however, and those punters keen to follow current form may side with the younger Jamaican.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.