Usain Bolt has expressed his desire to have competed against reigning Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles during his prime years.
The Jamaican sprint legend, widely regarded as the fastest man alive, dominated the track from 2008 to 2017. During this period, he amassed multiple Olympic gold medals and 11 global titles, setting records that still stand today.
Although Bolt’s 100m and 200m records, set in 2009 at the Berlin World Championships, remain unbroken, he has often spoken about his struggles with training, admitting that he never enjoyed it.
In a recent interview, Bolt shared his admiration for competition and how he wishes he could have raced against Lyles.
“I love competition, you know what I mean, and even now I see Noah Lyles running, I’m like, ‘I wish he was in my era’. Be cool,” he said.
Bolt retired in 2017 at the age of 31, bringing an end to a remarkable career that was unfortunately marred by a nagging injury in his final races. Now, eight years later, he admits to missing the thrill of competing but not the rigorous training that came with it.
“At times when I watch track and field, I do miss it. I’m like, ‘Wow,’ but then you think about training. You’re like, ‘Whatever’,” he added.
Bolt remains the only sprinter to have won the Olympic 100m and 200m titles at three consecutive Games (2008, 2012, and 2016). He also won two 4x100m relay gold medals. His global fame skyrocketed after his double sprint victory in world record times at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, making him the first person to hold both records since fully automatic timing became mandatory.
Since Bolt’s retirement, Noah Lyles has emerged as one of the leading sprinters in the world. However, at 27, he has yet to reach the unprecedented levels set by Bolt. Lyles secured his first Olympic gold medal in Paris and holds a personal best of 19.31 seconds in the 200m, an American record that makes him the third fastest of all time. However, he remains behind Bolt’s world record of 19.19 seconds.
Lyles also achieved an impressive feat at the 2023 World Championships by winning gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events, completing a rare sprint treble. While his career continues to flourish, comparisons with Bolt are inevitable, and the thought of a head-to-head showdown between the two remains a fascinating prospect for athletics fans.
Bolt’s legacy as the greatest sprinter in history is firmly cemented, and while he may not return to competition, his influence on the sport and admiration for the next generation, including Lyles, remains strong.
