Before that he will attempt to win the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay Olympic titles for a third straight Games in Rio. He could have done the same in 2011 if not for a false start in the 100 final.
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As journalists from across the world hung to Bolt’s every word and almost 70 cameras filmed his beaming smile, the sprinter talked about his plans to retire and deprive the Olympics of its biggest star at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Bolt turns 30 on the night of the closing ceremony and, at Monday’s (Tuesday NZT) news conference, he reiterated that Rio will, in fact, be his last games.
“I’ve always wanted to run a sub-19”, Bolt said on Monday. But then Bolt got wishy-washy about that decision again and could retire after these Games.
Usain Bolt in the new Puma Ignite Disc running sneakers. His world record for this category is 9.58 seconds and he hopes to do that again.
Speaking on how he is gearing up for the preliminary race, the Lagos born sprinter says he just tries to visualize himself winning after training, eating and relaxing. “I’ll win all three gold (medals), there’s never anything else for me when it comes to a championship”. His time of 9.84 seconds remains the Canadian record. He won gold in those events at each of the past two Olympics, and if he can somehow pull off the three-peat he’d leave Rio de Janeiro with nine career gold medals, tying him with Carl Lewis and Finland’s Paavo Nurmi for the track and field record.
Bolt takes to the track Saturday for opening rounds of the 100 meters.
He’s also looking forward to lowering his 200m mark.
He blew away any injury concerns on his last appearance, however, clocking 19.89 seconds over 200m in London and insisted he was in better condition this year than when he was at last year’s World Championships in Beijing. But when pressed about how sure he was the 100m final would be free from drugs, he shrugged his shoulders. Bolt is a -305 favourite on Olympic odds to win the 200 metres. His personal best in the 100 is 9.92 seconds in August of past year in Beijing when he finished third in the World Championships. US sprinters have been on a recent tear, posting four of the world’s fastest times this season in the 100 during team trials in July. ‘Regaining credibility in terms of the doping and the corruption that’s taken place is not going to happen in Rio or by the end of this year.
The run-up to the Games was dominated by Russia’s doping scandal, while American rivals Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt have served drug bans. And in a few years’ time the sport will be cleaner and everything will be great.
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Talking to the media, Bolt said that despite being the record holder, he is still gets nervous about competing in the 200 meters event.
