Blake happy to skip Bolt rivalry this season

Don’t expect to see Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake renew their head-to-head rivalry this season.

Blake said on Wednesday that, although he loves racing against his friend and training partner, his manager will choose when the Jamaican sprinters next race each other.

“I love to race against (Bolt) but I leave that to my manager,” said Blake, who is the world champion in the 100m. “He has chosen some great races for me and I think he knows what he is doing.”

Blake took silver behind Bolt in the 100 and 200 at the London Olympics shortly after beating the fastest man in history in both sprints at the Jamaican national championships.

Their next race is likely to be in 2013 “if there is going to be a good race,” Blake’s manager, Cubie Seegobin, said ahead of Thursday’s Athletissima meeting. Blake is contracted to run in the 100 and Bolt will race in the 200.

They are also scheduled to avoid racing each other at Diamond League meets in Zurich and Brussels before ending their seasons.

Seegobin said he was not opposed to the two meeting on the track, but agreement also had to be reached with meeting organisers and a sponsor to help fund what has become a more expensive option after the London Games.

“It’s not as easy as you think,” he said. “Maybe if there is some rich guy who wants to put the money up for this race.”