USAIN BOLT HAS revealed that he plans to retire after competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The Jamaican is the fastest man in history over 100 and 200 metres, and has six Olympic and eight World Championship gold medals to his name having dominated sprinting in recent years.
But, ahead of competing in his final race of the 2013 season in Brussels, Bolt has voiced his intention to go out on a high in three years’ time.
“I think it will be a good time to retire, on top and just been dominating for so long,” he said.
“If I want to be among the greats of (Muhammad) Ali and Pele and all these guys I have to continue dominating until I retire.”
Bolt rose to prominence in 2008, running a record-breaking time of 9.72 seconds in the 100 metres to announce his arrival as a dominant force in the event.
He went on to lower that bar to 9.69secs at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and also defeated American Michael Johnson’s long-standing 200m record by coming in with a time of 19.30secs.
The 27-year-old then took those records down to 9.58secs and 19.19secs respectively in 2009, and has proved unshakeable at both Olympic and World Championship meets since.
Bolt – who completed a 100m, 200m and 4x100m clean sweep at the 2013 worlds in Moscow earlier this month after doing the same at the 2012 London Olympics — will race in the 100m at the Memorial Van Damme Diamond League event on Friday.
Limerick. The people’s team.
How Times and his attitude has changed through the years. I’m reading an unauthorised biography on him at the moment and during his peak years he was a cold person. Guess he understands now that it’s not all about winning at any costs and people are genuine in their appreciation of him. Good to hear this.
@Rory: did a lot of that not have to do with his management company though? In his early years he seemed like a great guy then in mid 2000’s he seemed to become really withdrawn when he signed to some management company.
@Ciaran Rice: agree. I felt he became an overly managed puppet for the mgt company.
A million reasons to visit Limerick.