There are a few downsides to being quite famous and Usain Bolt knows about them. This Jamaican athlete has clocked at impressive speeds. This swarthy track and field beast had a total of 8 Olympic medals at the time of his retirement in 2017. Bolt had a specialty in 100m, 200m, and 4 X 100m events. This extremely successful track star has a net worth of 90 million USD.
But, even with so many accolades and a huge fan base, a man cannot have everything. In a competitive sphere like sports, a rivalry is a common thing. The greater the star, the greater their number of rivals. And, for Bolt, this rule is very true. Although, Bolt has had a few very noticeable on-track feuds with fellow runners like Justin Gatlin. But, there was another man too who’d challenged Usain just as much, if not more.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Usain Bolt recounts rivalry with Tyson Gay
In a 2010 youtube interview, Bolt was seen speaking about his racing days, the important events, and how things were between him and other racers. There he spoke about his rivalry with Tyson Gay. Tyson is an American track-and-field athlete.
And, during Bolt’s reign as the world No. 1, Tyson was breathing on his neck as No. 2. Speaking about him and Tyson, Bolt commented, “He does get really upset because every time he runs fast I run faster”. Usain also ended this topic by speaking about how things were between them.? Bolt said, “He Probably Hates My Guts”
Usain also had a famous rivalry with Justin Gatlin. The on-track duel of Bolt and Gatlin became apparent during the 2016 Olympics when the close competition between them was captured.
READ MORE: Fastest Man Alive Usain Bolt Has Found an Interesting Way to Keep His Competitive Nature Alive
But, off track, these two stars are on good terms. Gatlin even has commented on how he was pushed by Bolt and vice versa. Bolt even congratulated Gatlin after the 100m dash in 2016 as Gatlin came second.
Bolt’s staunch competitive nature
Even his friends and rivals alike speak about how competitive Bolt gets on the race track. Bolt won his first Olympic gold medal in 2008 and since then he has never let the crown slip. Even after staying on track for over a decade, he has kept up his form and his speed too. He uses his defeats and rivals to push him further.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
⚡️1️⃣9️⃣.1️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/KyMy6SI7u6
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 20, 2022
But, even in retirement Bolt’s zeal to crush limits has not gone away. He uses his huge platform for various community-based welfare tasks, pieces of evidence of which can be found on his social media. He is also delving into music production and keeps fans updated on that as well. And overall, he is a big family man and shares pictures of his wife and child quite often as well.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY: Usain Bolt, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and more- Top Athletes To Sign For Puma?
What are your views on the few but famous rivalries of Usain’s sporting career?