Since Usain Bolt’s retirement in 2017, every track and field star has dreamed of breaking his legendary 100m and 200m records. Many believed it was possible, but years have passed, and his records remain untouched. Even Olympic 100m gold medalist Noah Lyles seemed confident enough. After all, given the Florida native’s potential, how hard could it be? “I’m trying to get it done as soon as possible.” But despite his bold claims, he couldn’t make it happen at the Paris Olympics. Bolt even roasted him, saying, “The sport needs that shit. We need personality.” But here’s the thing—getting the Jamaican legend’s respect is rare. And while most get the cold shoulder, one athlete got some praise… and even a hug.

Remember the 2017 World Championships? The one where Usain Bolt ran his final 100-meter race, and a young Christian Coleman—aka Sha’Carri Richardson’s rumored boyfriend—made headlines? That night wasn’t just about Bolt’s farewell; it was about Coleman announcing himself to the world. While his resume already included a World Championship gold and a record-breaking 60-meter performance, finishing ahead of Bolt in that final was a game-changer. Coleman clocked 9.94 seconds, securing second place behind Justin Gatlin and barely edging out the Jamaican sprinting sensation. If this was the farewell Bolt had expected or not is besides the point, but this is what happened, and nobody could believe it. The margin of the win makes it all the more memorable.

Coleman’s rise had already been in motion that season, but this was different. In the highly anticipated semi-finals, he ran a 9.97, barely beating Bolt by 0.01 seconds. No one had done that in four years—except for Gatlin in 2013. It was official: Coleman had the best start in the game, and the world was watching. Fast forward to now, and Bolt recently sat down with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green on the Ready Set Go podcast, reminiscing about that very moment.

Bolt turned to Gatlin and asked, “Do you remember what I told you after 2017 when you won?” Gatlin, without missing a beat, replied, “Yeah, I do.” Then, the Olympic champion got real about Coleman: “Man, he had just come out of college. I hugged him and told him, ‘Bro, I’m so happy you won.’ I couldn’t imagine this young kid pulling it off. He had a crazy start, but Coleman? That guy’s start is just ridiculous. I swear, when he took off, it felt like he was five miles ahead of me before I even got up.” To even be considered a threat by Usain Bolt, is a matter of immense pride in itself. Bolt, after all, is the embodiment of aspirations for sprinters everywhere. He set the blueprint.

And just like that, at only 21 years old, Coleman had done what most sprinters only dreamed of—outrunning the fastest man in history, even if just for a moment. But how did Coleman feel about it?

Usain Bolt’s unexpected take on Coleman’s talent

Back in 2024, Christian Coleman looked back on his first World Championships in 2017, where he lined up against Usain Bolt in the legend’s final race. “Usain Bolt was in that race, and I was 21. That was a pretty big moment,” he recalled. He admitted that stepping into the sport at such a young age felt like being “thrown into the deep end,” but now, he sees himself as part of the new generation making their mark.

Coleman also spoke about the intense competition in sprinting, saying, “There are some dogs in track and field, and you have to be a savage when you get out there.” Well, his ruthless approach to sprinting did reap great results when he faced track and field greats like Gatlin and Bolt in 2017. He must be doing something right when even Bolt recognized his talent back in the day, calling him “a great competitor” with a bright future. Since then, the 28-year-old hasn’t looked back, securing 8 world championship medals. But surprisingly, despite his praise for Coleman, the 100m world record holder mentioned no desire to race against him in the future.

During his appearance on Ready Set Go podcast with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, Bolt shared insights about his professional life, including his most challenging competitions. The undisputed track king was quick to list his top choices when asked by Gatlin about the sprinters he would love to compete against, and let’s just say it was quite a mix, “Me, you, Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake. I’d definitely like to compete against Maurice Greene, Ben Johnson. Let’s give Noah the spot just because I would love to race against him.”We are the most excited about this hypothetical Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt showdown. After all, their on-track rivalry was something the most passionate track fans never forgot to look out for! But is Christian Coleman’s absence from this list natural?

His absence is wild considering Coleman is one of the few guys who beat Bolt—twice—at the 2017 World Championships. He took him down in the semis and then edged him out in the final, taking silver while Bolt settled for bronze. But the Jamaican sprinting sensation didn’t even blink at leaving him off the list. Instead, he’s got his eye on Lyles, who crushed the competition with his 2023 World Championship three-peat and then backed it up with Olympic gold in Paris. Maybe he wants to race against the Florida native because of Lyles’ “fastest man” claim. Whatever may be his reason, a race, if it ever happens, is sure to be remembered forever!