Ujah: I’m not just a guest at Bolt’s farewell party
But Usain has unfair advantage, says Brit
Usain Bolt will be handed an unfair advantage at the World Championships if London organisers turn the 100m final into a love-in for the retiring Jamaican, Britain’s best sprint hope has said.
CJ Ujah finished fourth behind Bolt in the Monaco Diamond League meeting 11 days ago, but was unimpressed by having to wait around on the track before the race so the legend could be serenaded by fans.
Ujah has been told by his camp to expect similar in London, with the heats set for Friday and the final on saturday, and the risk is that Bolt’s rivals could be forced to play the role of guests at the 30-year-old’s farewell party.
Ujah is apprehensive about that scenario, given his own ambitions for gold after a deeply impressive season in which he has won three Diamond League meets.
The 23-year-old said: ‘When we walked out at Monaco the whole crowd was chanting, “U- sain Bolt!”
‘They had us out there for half an hour before we actually raced. i feel like that was a bit of a ploy. i was getting cold and stiff.
‘They were playing his music and i was thinking, “Wow, like we’re here to race and they want us to think about him!”
‘My coach (stuart McMillan) was saying, “You have to be ready for this, it could happen in London”.’
Ujah has grown into a medal contender at these championships after claiming wins over Justin Gatlin and his training partner andre De Grasse this season, in addition to his Diamond League victories in Rabat, London and Rome.
it remains to be seen if Ujah, with a 9.96sec personal best, can take enough off that time to win this week, but there is real merit in his belief that Bolt is vulnerable, having gone under 10 seconds only once in 2017.
There have also been doubts over the eight- time Olympic champion’s state of mind following the death of former British high jumper Germaine Mason, who died in a motorcycle accident while on a night out with Bolt.
a long-standing back problem for Bolt also necessitated a trip to his doctor in Germany in June.
His winning run of 9.95sec in Monaco 11 days ago suggests he has found greater form, but Ujah is adamant the field no longer hold quite so much fear for the track’s greatest ever star.
He said: ‘The first thing is to make the final and then believe that anything can happen when the gun goes. Hopefully i can get a gold medal. Bolt is the legend and an inspiration to the sport and myself. i feel i’m finding it easier to run against these names.
‘He is not quite at his 9.5 or 9.6 pace. We’re all around the same times. so if anyone raises their game — even myself — anything can happen. it’s not like he’s going to go and run a 9.5 or 9.6. it’s just not going to happen. He’s not the Bolt that’s been there every year. He’s not quite the same.
‘But when you get to the champs everyone wipes the slate clean. He knows that and he’s the best at doing it. so he won’t be worried about what he’s running now. He’s just focusing on the champs.’
Ujah has raced consistently around the 10sec mark this season but says he will need to dip 9.9sec for a medal on a quick track. He said: ‘Running 9.85sec will win it. it’s a really fast track and low 9.9 will definitely get on the podium.’