Bolt predicts his world records could stand for 15-20 years
Usain Bolt is feeling no pressure in retirement, confident his best times can remain world records for decades.
The only sprinter to capture the 100- and 200-metre track titles at three consecutive Olympics, Bolt retired last month after the world championships in London. He holds the world record of 9.58 seconds in the 100 and 19.19 in the 200 — both set in Berlin in 2009.
“I think (they’re) going to last a while,” Bolt said during a promotional event in Japan on Tuesday. “I think our era with Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell and all these guys was the best era of athletes. If it was going to be broken, it would have been broken in this era, so I think I have at least 15 to 20 more years.”
Bolt’s farewell major meet didn’t go to plan in London. After a surprising third-place finish in the 100 behind Americans Gatlin and Christian Coleman, Bolt’s last race ended in the anguish of an injured hamstring while anchoring Jamaica’s 4x100-meter relay team.
Gatlin, often cast as the villain during Bolt’s long dominance, said he thinks his rival will be back. But Bolt brushed off that notion.
“I have nothing to prove, that’s the main reason I left track and field. After you do everything you want there is no reason to stick around,” Bolt said.
Bolt was the life of the party every time he competed, captivating fans with his charisma and smile.
As for the next biggest star in track, Bolt said he doesn’t see Bolt anyone at the moment who he expects will follow in his footsteps.
“It’s hard for me to pick someone,” Bolt said. “I think what made me stand out was not only the fast times that I ran but my personality that people really enjoyed and loved.
“If you want to be a star in sports and take over a sport you have to let people know who you are as a person, not just as a track athlete.”
Jamaica won only one gold medal at this year’s worlds, a disappointing haul given its success in the last decade. Bolt said his country’s young athletes will have to step up now that he’s gone.
“The biggest thing with Jamaica now is if the youngsters want it,” Bolt said. “Over the years, one thing I’ve learned is you have to want to be great. If you don’t want to be great, it won’t happen.”
Of course, wanting to be great and doing what it takes to make it happen are two different things, too.
“I’ve noticed a lot of the young athletes, as soon as they get their first contract and start making money, they really just don’t care as much anymore,” Bolt said. “A lot of them are satisfied with getting their first contract, going out and making their first team. If they are satisfied with that, then we’re in trouble.
“Hopefully, a few of these young guys are going to be hungry and want to be great and if we get those guys we will be OK but so far, it is not looking good.”
The 31-year-old Bolt said he had good people around him from his earliest successes who were also there at the end, helping him make the most of his talent. Truro’s Peter Millman was eliminated from the finals at the World University Games in Taipei.
Truro’s Peter Millman was one of two male shot put athletes to compete at this year’s Summer Universiade in Taipei.
But after a tough competition, the 23-year-old didn’t end his season the way he’d wanted.
“I wanted to finish the season on a high note ... take a bit of a break, and refocus for next year,” he said. “It’s tough going into every year having a bad way to end the season ... it’s been a couple years now since I’ve really had the season that I wanted, so I’m looking forward to being healthy again and hopefully making a big breakthrough next year.”
Peter, the son of former national team coach Paul Millman, suffered from a hernia last year, and at his first universiade in August, didn’t finish with the result he had hoped for.
“After nationals (during the first week of July), I had to take a break from competing for a bit and I haven’t competed since then,” he said.
“And here, there’s a few guys that are coming off world championships. It’s a deep field; there’s a guy in the competition that threw over 21 meters this year — that’s like top six in the world.
“I know even if I had the best day of my life, plus two metres, I’m not competing with him, so for me, it’s about what can I do to keep my progression moving forward.”
Millman’s career personal best in the shot put event is 17.82 metres.
At the Summer Universiade — also known as the World University Games — Millman threw 16.25 and was eliminated from the finals.
“I had a good start to my season; I opened up with a big (personal best) and it’s just been downhill from here,” he said.
“It’s just been a really tough season, and I’m happy that I was still able to make the team and come (to the Games). This is my 14th month straight, without a break, you get tired and you get warn out.”
Millman — who has been on Team Canada for seven years — will enter the first year of his master’s program at the University of Lethbridge in the fall and continue representing the school’s track team.
“I’ve been so lucky to have the support system that I have at home,” he said of his friends, family and former athletic club, the Truro Lions.
“It’s always great going home, even though it doesn’t happen a lot anymore. I always try to throw when I’m home or try and help out at camps for a couple days. There’s kids there that learn from following us and we’ve got some great kids coming out of Truro.
“The athletes there have a lot of potential,” he continued. “It’s really nice that there’s still a program in Truro that can give them that shot to compete because sports in Nova Scotia aren’t huge ... and the opportunities they give (the kids) can lead to really great things.”