American sprint legend Michael Johnson has unequivocally dismissed any notion that contemporary athletes could surpass the legendary Usain Bolt in sprinting.
Johnson, who himself is a four-time Olympic gold medalist, recently expressed his thoughts on the ongoing comparisons between Bolt and rising stars like Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson.
The discussion comes in light of their impressive performances but, according to Johnson, they aren’t enough to dethrone the Jamaican sprint king.
Usain Bolt, often referred to as the ‘Lightning Bolt,’ is celebrated as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. His athletic achievements include an unprecedented eight Olympic gold medals and eleven World Championship golds spanning from 2009 to 2015.
Even after retiring in 2017, Bolt continues to hold the world records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay races.
“We should probably just leave the question of who’s going to be the next Bolt. I can answer that: nobody. There’s never going to be another Usain Bolt,” Johnson told Olympics.com.
Johnson’s perspective is not just about records but also the charisma and appeal Bolt brought to the sport.
“That doesn’t mean that there won’t be amazing personalities and feats in the sport. There will be. But Bolt was unique because he’s Usain Bolt and nobody else is going to beat him,” he added.
At the Paris Olympics 2024, Noah Lyles made a valiant effort to chase Bolt’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds but fell short, securing his first-ever Olympic gold with a time of 9.79 seconds.
Similarly, Sha’Carri Richardson, making her Olympic debut, claimed her first individual silver in the 200m and a gold medal in the 4x100m relay. While these achievements are notable, they serve to remind us of the high benchmarks set by Bolt.
The continuous search for ‘the next Bolt’ has been a prevalent theme in track and field circles.
It reflects not just the quest for exceptional athletic performance but also for a personality that can captivate and engage global audiences.
