"It's a special feeling, just to come back here."
That was one of the many compliments Olympic gold medallist Jerome Blake echoed on Tuesday, Sept. 24 as he visited his old high school, Rutland Senior Secondary (RSS).
This summer, Blake was part of the 4x100 Canadian men's relay team that won gold at the Paris Olympics, the country's first gold medal in the event since 1996, running a time of 37.50 seconds.
Originally from Jamaica, Blake and his family moved to Kelowna in 2013 while he was coming up in the sprinting world. Now, 11 years and two Olympic medals later, Blake visited his old stomping grounds where he spoke to students about his experience at the games, his career, and his time at RSS.
"The most important thing for me is giving back to the community in whatever I can, so for me to come back and inspire the next generation of athletes, that's in Kelowna and in the Okanagan, it's a big thing for me," said Blake. "Being able to be here, be back at my old high school and just see the smiles on everyone's faces, regardless if it's a big one or a small one, I think it's a good thing because I'm giving back to the community that gave so much to me, it's important for me."
While speaking with the students, the 29-year-old was asked about that day they won gold.
"Being in an Olympic finals, or just being in a stadium with 115,000 fans looking down on you is one of the most daunting things you could ever do," said Blake. "We know we cleaned up the mistakes we made, we were going to be fine. The only person that could beat us on the day, and we knew it, was ourselves."
"All we had to do with execute and when you execute, magic happens, and the magic was this," Blake added, pointing his gold medal around his neck.
After speaking with the kids, Blake and the students went out to the field where they all ran a sprint together and got a chance to get photos with the Olympian.
During Blake's time at RSS, he made sacrifices for his training, which included missing his graduation photos. On Tuesday, the school gave him a graduation cap and robe so he could take them.
"It's even more special now the fact that I made all those sacrifices back in the day, just to see the outcome what it is now, 10 years later, two Olympic medals, two Canadian records, and you know so much more to go," said Blake.
The school also gave Blake current RSS clothing and his old football jersey from his time on the team.
"This is so inspiration and motivational for me, just being back at RSS, being in Rutland where everything started for me," said Blake. "It's my old high school, I love this place. I go all over the world talking about Rutland, big up Rutland of course because that's where I'm from, and I never forget where I'm from."
This is Blake's first time back in town in over a year and he's been celebrated for his gold medal achievement as he was at the Okanagan Sun game on Saturday, Sept. 21 and at Kelowna City Council on Sept. 23. He's only in town for a few more days but is hoping to be back before the end of the year.
Blake was also asked what his message to the students and future generations is.
"Continue to believe, continue to work hard, and trust the process of life. Whatever you want, just go out and work for it cause nothing's impossible and everything's achievable," said Blake, who also told the students to surround themselves around good people.
