Olympian and coach Michael Frater has praised Ackeem Blake’s stunning performance at the Diamond League final at Allianz Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on Friday.

“Feeling proud of his execution in the cold weather today,” Frater told Our Today. “He executed a very good race and this just shows he is amongst the best in the world.”

Jamaica’s Blake and Tajay Gayle were surprise winners on the opening day of the two-day Diamond League final at Allianz Memorial Van Damme at the King Boudouin Stadium in Brussels.

Ackeem Blake sped to 9.93 (0.1 m/s) and won fairly comfortably ahead of the fast-starting American Christian Coleman (10.00) and the late-charging Fred Kerley (10.01) in second and third respectively. Blake’s teammate Rohan Watson was 8th in 10.25.

“For me, it was a surprise to win here today. It was a very competitive field and it was also my first DL final,” said Blake.

“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,” an elated Blake added. “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.”

Tajay Gayle rebounded from his ordinary season with a morale-boosting victory in the long jump, leaping to a season’s best 8.28m.

As a result of their victories, Blake and Gayle will each receive US$30,000 and the Diamond League trophy.

The 2019 world champion took the lead in the rounds and never looked back. World and Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece responded with 8.15m but had to settle for second. Gayle’s countrymen Carey McLeod was fifth with 7.85 and Wayne Pinnock 6^th with 7.43m from just two attempts.

Gayle noted that due to the cold weather, he started strong.

“I put everything in the first two attempts because of the cold weather and it worked out. A jump around 8.30 was my goal today, so I just missed out on that,” Gayle revealed.

“But I know that the cold would become a factor during the competition, so I’m happy that I was able to make it work in that first two attempts because my nose and chest were getting very cold,” he added.

Meanwhile, Jamaica finished second and third in the women’s triple jump courtesy of Shanieka Ricketts (14.22m) and Ackelia Smith (14.11m). Cuba’s Leyanis Hernandez won with 14.37m.

Middle distance specialist Natoya Goule-Toppin was third in the 800m clocking 1:58.94 behind the winner Kenya’s Mary Moraa with 1:56.56. Georgia Bell of Brittian was second in 1:57.50.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 19.24m for fifth in the women’s shot put while Fedrick Dacres making a return to action was seventh with 61.63m in the men’s discus.

In two non-Diamond League events or promotional races, Jamaica’s Stacey-Ann Williams was second in the women’s 400 in 50.53 and Stephenie-Ann McPherson finished fourth in 51.24. The race was won by American great Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in 49.11.