As the fifth fastest man of all time, Justin Gatlin has gathered a wealth of experience in his iconic track and field career. So, it came as no surprise when Usain Bolt’s rival speculated on the best course of action for the 18-year-old prodigy Christian Miller. Miller, who is heading to the Olympics as part of the 4x100m relay pool, has a world of options in front of him going forward.

In the latest clip from the Ready Set Go podcast, hosted by Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, the duo mulled over the possible routes Miller could take. While heading to university is always an option for rising athletes, Gatlin believed going pro may be the wiser choice. Although Gatlin admitted that Miller should “weigh his options,” he also highlighted the possible advantages of going pro like Abby Steiner, especially because they share one common factor.

In Gatlin’s “honest“ opinion, taking “the pro route would be more beneficial,“ for Christian Miller because the youngster would feel secure. “He gets the bag, he gets security, he gets more stability,“ the 42-year-old explained in the YouTube clip. It’s this peace of mind that would allow him to grow and focus on his craft, according to the track legend.

It would also open a door for Christian Miller to collaborate with shoe manufacturer Puma. “I say Puma needs to step up to the plate,” said the Olympic gold medalist. Puma struck a deal with Abby Steiner in 2022 when she was 22. Although neither the company nor Steiner discussed the specifics of the deal, it helped her flourish with a financial net to fall back on.

Similarly, Christian Miller ran sub-10s sprints, qualifying for the Team USA Olympics 4x100m relay pool in Pumas. Gatlin argued that the 18-year-old sprinter wouldn’t change spikes because “he’s going to stick to what made him great… If I was Puma, I would say ‘All right cool, let’s sign you’,“ said the five-time Olympic medalist. However, this isn’t the first time Gatlin and Green have discussed Miller’s future on RSG.

Robbing young talents like Christian Miller 

Christian Miller explained his prowess to the track and field scene when he shattered the U-18 100m world record with a 10.06s sprint. Gatlin and Greene were even more impressed with the 18-year-old’s progression as he had further reduced his 100m time to 9.93s by April this year. However, the 42-year-old Thunder expressed concern over the Lima Under-20 championships cancellation.

“I think in our sport, that’s definitely an injustice coz now you have robbed a generation,” Gatlin said during the podcast. As the man who ran with history’s greatest sprinter, Gatlin explained that track and field athletes require experience above all else. So canceling championships meant to provide young athletes with that experience is detrimental to talents such as Christian Miller.

At just 18, Miller has many options open to him. Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green hope to see the prodigious runner make the right choices to achieve his dreams.