Never known to mince his words, Fred Kerley seldom keeps his thoughts to himself. Throughout the 2024 season, the sprinter has made waves for his performances. During the Paris Games, the 29-year-old snagged an Olympic bronze in the 100m event. On the other hand, his comments have made heads turn too. On July 2, Season 1 of Netflix’s SPRINT made its way to our screens, and the Olympian made it clear that he was not a fan of it. However, he wasn’t the only one.

In an October 24 episode of the Ready Set Go podcast, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green discuss everything the sprinter has been through since the Summer Games. However, they eventually asked about his experience working on the documentary. The first season followed the lives of Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Shericka Jackson, and more. While Kerley appeared on the show, it didn’t sit well with him.

Justin Gatlin would’ve preferred the documentary to take a different path

Justin Gatlin couldn’t help but agree. “I didn’t like it because I felt like in certain aspects… it blindsided a lot of the characters,” he confessed. The first season included six 45-minute episodes showcasing the Wanda Diamond League and Continental Tour circuits, eventually leading up to the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Even though the show garnered 2.4 million views in the first week, the track and field legend clearly doesn’t feel the same way. What could have swayed his opinion?

The former sprinter continued, “The portrayal of you was never the champion you were, and that preceded to that point, right?” Everyone knows that Noah Lyles went on to clinch the 100m world title in Budapest, but that title belonged to Fred Kerley before. At the 2022 championships, the 29-year-old blazed past the finish to claim his crown on home turf. The track and field legend would’ve enjoyed watching that aspect too. 

Gatlin added, “It should have shown your backstory, the journey that made you the champion you are before setting up this so-called rivalry with Noah.” The duo have infamously taken digs at each other. In fact, the 29-year-old went as far as to diss Lyles on season 1 of SPRINT. Even though watching the sprinters battle it out on and off the track has been exciting, the track and field legend believed the documentary didn’t do justice to that journey. So, does the Olympian agree? 

Fred Kerley spills the beans on the show’s biggest flaw

After season 1 hit it off with several fans, Netflix announced that the second season would be out on November 13. What will this season be about? The cameras will follow the athletes throughout their journey leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, the sprinter cleared the air. He confessed, “It really ain’t showing us how they really film us. This s–t is Hollywood.” With heavy hitters like Full Swing and Drive To Survive in their resumes, fans expected better from the creators. 

Yes, the show received a good reception, but many hoped this would cause a shift in the track and field circuit. After all, they’d witnessed how Formula 1 fared after the documentary’s release. Unfortunately, SPRINT barely scratched the surface. Even though we got to see what takes place behind the scenes, it didn’t let us in on the nitty-gritty details of the sport. Fred Kerley might have an answer to that.

“This piece is put together in a way that’s not really meant to be. There’s nothing else to it. It’s cool for the sport, but it’s really not showing us because I feel way more stuff than what really is.” This isn’t the only time the Olympian has voiced his opinion. When the show was first released in July, the 29-year-old compared it to a YouTube documentary. He even added that the show wasn’t about sprinting. 

Fans looked forward to understanding their favorite athletes and sharing the experience of watching their passion for the sport and their journey, and in some sense, forming an even stronger connection with them. However, the show didn’t help with setting that narrative up. Fred Kerley added, “They should start off with Jacobs at the World Championship and me in 2023.” Even though the duo agreed that the documentary should’ve been made differently, it will be interesting to see how Season 2 fares in comparison. Are you ready for it?