For 16 years, Usain Bolt’s blistering 9.58 seconds world record in the men’s 100 metres has stood untouched, a benchmark that continues to define sprinting greatness. Yet the Jamaican icon believes he could have gone even faster had he benefitted from today’s carbon-plated “super-spikes” that are rewriting athletics.
Bolt, who set the record at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, insisted the new footwear technology could have propelled him to an extraordinary 9.42 seconds. Simulations from Puma suggested the same, and Bolt himself is convinced. “I would have run way faster if I had continued with these spikes,” he said, pointing to the improvements shown by fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the later stages of her career.
Jamaica’s New Hope
Since Bolt retired in 2017, Jamaica has struggled to replicate his global dominance on the men’s stage. That could change in Tokyo, with Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson emerging as serious contenders. Bolt expressed confidence in their ability to deliver. “They should be one-two,” he remarked, tipping them to challenge for gold if they perfect their race execution. He even hopes to be the one presenting medals to the next generation of Jamaican champions.
Subtle Jab at Noah Lyles
While Bolt praised his countrymen, his comments about American sprint star Noah Lyles carried an edge. Lyles, the defending world champion, has been outspoken in his rivalry with Thompson, claiming to have him “in his pocket.” Asked about the American, Bolt suggested Lyles does not present the same challenge as Justin Gatlin, his former rival. “Gatlin was a different breed,” he noted, recalling their intense battles. Bolt emphasized that trash talk never fazed him, but his tone suggested he does not view Lyles in the same light.
Warning for Gout Gout
Bolt also turned his attention to Australia’s teenage sensation Gout Gout, who will debut at the World Championships in the 200 metres. While impressed by his talent, Bolt cautioned against expecting immediate senior-level success. “The transition from junior to senior is always tougher,” he advised, stressing that raw speed alone is not enough to achieve lasting greatness.
Now 39, Bolt remains a central voice in athletics. His reflections show respect for emerging stars while also reminding the world that his name and his record still stand tall.
