DAEGU, South Korea (AP) - Crazy about cricket and mad about chicken nuggets, Yohan Blake surprised the world by sprinting out of the shadow of Jamaican teammate Usain Bolt and winning the 100-meter world title Sunday.

Bolt's former training partner, still only 21 years old, earned instant fame at the Daegu Stadium a few minutes after the world-record holder was eliminated because of a false start.

"I've been waiting for this moment my whole life," said Blake, who served a three-month doping suspension in 2009 for taking a banned stimulant. "I've been working just to be a world champion and it's a dream come true."

But even in his moment of glory, Blake found himself answering more questions about Bolt than his big win. Like the other medalists, second-place Walter Dix of the United States and bronze winner Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis, he was shocked and still trying to comprehend what exactly happened to Bolt.

"I didn't expect that from him. He's not that type of person," Blake said. "But I had to get it done for Jamaica."

Blake admitted that Bolt often false starts during practice, but he said he just couldn't envision him doing it on such a big stage.

"I didn't think it would come out on the world scene because he is a championship performer," Blake said.

The fun-loving Blake, who was humming a song before attending his post-race news conference, said his first love as a kid was cricket, which is hugely popular in the Caribbean. Instead, he took up athletics at 16 and hasn't looked back.

"I still love cricket but track and field has taken over my life," he said.

Blake called himself a "beast" in training and said that his secret weapon has been eating boxes of chicken nuggets the night before a big meet, something he did again in Daegu.

But Blake has had his troubles. He was suspended for doping before the Jamaican National Championships two years ago. Blake, Lansford Spence, Marvin Anderson and Allodin Fothergill were suspended for three months.

Blake said he has put that behind him and is ready to relish his newly anointed role as the 100-metre world champion. But neither he nor the other medalists were ready to see this as a changing of the guard. They all knew it was an uncharacteristic mistake from Bolt, a sprinter who will be back Friday to defend his title in the 200.

"As Kim said," Blake explained, "we are the guys for the moment."

Source: Jamaica Observer