Jamaica: Yohan Blake

Born: 26/12/1989

Place of birth: St James, Jamaica

Event: Athletics

Previous Olympics: 0

Previous medals: 0

Yohan Blake may already be a world champion but the 22 year-old has a burning desire to achieve so much more as he looks to step out of the shadow of countryman Usain Bolt.

The Jamaican became the youngest world 100 metres champion since Carl Lewis in 1983 when he stormed to victory in Daegu, South Korea last year, but his victory came after a false start and a disqualification for triple Beijing Olympic gold medallist Bolt.

The two men are training partners, but as Bolt sat on the trackside, immersed in his own thoughts, Blake took his title to announce himself to the world.

"Becoming world 100m champion in Daegu gave me a lot of belief," he said. "But I had belief before that because of the training I had done.

"Being world champion has opened a lot of doors. There are a lot of distractions now, and it is a heavy weight on my shoulders. But I think I know what I have to carry and I think it's going to be a good year for me this year."

Blake and Bolt are part of the formidable Jamaican sprint line-up and push each other in training, but when it comes to competition it is every man for himself.

"Working with Usain in training has helped me a lot," added Blake. "I have to take two strides when he takes one, so it means I have to work very hard. But I don't always train with him. I train on my own pretty much most of the time. I love to be on my own."

Blake has always had the talent. He holds the national junior record for the 100m and tied Seun Ogunkoya as the youngest sprinter to have broken the 10-second barrier (at 19 years, 197 days).

While his showdowns with Bolt in the 100m have generated plenty of attention, many onlookers believe that Blake's better event is actually the 200m, in which he ran the second fastest time in history of 19.26 seconds in Brussels last September.

Only Bolt has run faster - his world record stands at 19.19secs - and Blake has used him as his inspiration to reach even greater heights.

"Running with the quickest 100m sprinter in the world takes me to another level," he said. "I train hard by myself - that is why Usain calls me The Beast - and I'm doing twice as much work as anyone else. When everyone else is sleeping I am still working."