Racing against Usain Bolt? Yeah, that’s the stuff dreams are made of. Of course, one thing’s for sure—you’re not taking the top spot from him. But hey, even if you come in second place, that’s still a huge win. After all, Bolt is the man who owns world records in both the 100m (9.58) and the 200m (19.19), plus eight Olympic gold medals. Bolt remains the fastest human runner of all time based on his legendary sprinting achievements. Every athlete would treasure the experience of sprinting against Bolt because it would become a living piece of historical achievement. But there’s one race Bolt’s been dreaming about that never happened.
During his interview with Colin Jackson on the YouTube channel “Puma,” Usain Bolt mentioned which past and present athletes he would choose to compete against. Any guesses? Well, Bolt picked Michael Johnson and Don Quarrie as the legendary sprinters he wanted to challenge in track competitions. He explained, “It would definitely be Michael Johnson, Don Quarrie...” Both athletes carry legendary status in their sport since Johnson secured Olympic gold for the 200m and 400m events, and Quarrie obtained gold medals during two Olympic competitions for the 200m race.
Usain Bolt admits that the one thing he deeply wished for was racing against South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk. “I’m very sad that I didn’t get to compete against van Niekerk,” Bolt admitted. “We wanted to do 200 meters, but I wasn’t fit enough. And I thought, that’s one thing I really wish I could’ve done compete against him, because he’s a world record holder. To run a 200 meters with him, who would be better? It would’ve been great to compete.“
The Rio Olympics 2016 witnessed Wayde van Niekerk set a world record by completing 400m in 43.03 seconds, which received honorable respect from Bolt. For Usain Bolt, the competition remains his main priority above everything else. The athlete knows how to demonstrate respect to opponents, although he continues to break winning records. The sport, along with his fellow competitors, retains its importance to Bolt even as he steps away from competitive athletics. But at the same time, even though Bolt has received much in life, he still has 2 regrets in his life.
The politics behind Usain Bolt’s 2003 World Championships exclusion
On the same podcast, when the host asked if he had any regrets, Usain Bolt expressed sadness before admitting, “Not going sub-19… that’s one.” He devoted tremendous effort to a sub-19 target yet fell short of reaching it. Even though Usain Bolt continues to hold the 200m world record with his 19.19 seconds in Berlin (2009), achieving a sub-19 performance remains his biggest unfulfilled goal. That was the dream.
Between his foot conditions, along with his hamstring troubles and the wear and tear from being the planet’s top sprinter, his performance goals remained unattainable. His race times exhibited closeness to breaking the 19-second mark as he ran 19.19 and 19.40 in Daegu and 19.32 in London, although he never managed to secure a sub-19 finish. It stayed just out of reach. But that’s not all.
Usain Bolt brought up another moment that still lingers—Paris 2003. “But not competing in the—was it 2003 Paris World Championships? Yes, Paris 2003,” he recalled. “I went, and my season was kind of long, but they asked me to swap out for Chris Williams at the time, and I agreed. I said, ‘You know what, give him my spot’.” The kicker? The winning time was around 20.4. “I was running 20.4, 20.3. So I was like, ‘Ah, maybe it would’ve been different.’” So, what happened in Paris that year?
At the 2003 World Championships, the men’s 200m final was won by John Capel of the USA with a time of 20.30 seconds, while his fellow American, Darvis Patton, took silver at 20.31 seconds. The bronze went to Japan’s Shingo Suetsugu, who clocked 20.38 seconds. Then 16 years old, Bolt had already made a name for himself by winning the 200m at the Jamaican National Championships in 20.28 seconds, beating seasoned athletes. Yet, despite his clear potential, Bolt wasn’t selected to compete in the World Championships. While the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) pointed to concerns over his fitness due to a battle with conjunctivitis that had disrupted his training, there was more to the story.
On Meet the Mitchells, Usain Bolt shared his frustration about being excluded from the competition, revealing how much “politics” played a role in the decision. “A lot of people do not even know I went to the 2003 World Athletics Championships in France,” he said. “I was there when Asafa Powell false-started alongside Jon Drummond when he laid down on the track.” Despite winning the trials and hitting the required times, Bolt wasn’t allowed to run. He continued, “I was supposed to run, but it was a long story. There was a lot of politics involved in the system revolving around the JAAA because I was young and new.”
Bolt was even assured that he would run in the 4×100 meters relay, but when the event came, he was once again prevented from participating. “I was a junior and did not know much,” he admitted. Looking back, Bolt now sees the experience as a lesson. “But you go through it all, and you learn,” he reflected. Two years later, he joined the coaching program of Glen Mills, and that’s when things truly started to evolve for the young athlete.
This missed opportunity, along with not breaking the 19-second barrier in the 200m, stands out as one of Usain Bolt’s few career regrets. Despite the frustration, Bolt’s career continued to soar as he became one of the greatest sprinters of all time.
The post Expressing Regrets Over Track and Field Career, Usain Bolt Names Surprising Pick as Dream Opponent appeared first on EssentiallySports.
