Usain Bolt’s retirement from athletics in 2017 left a gaping hole that has still not been filled, the Jamaican sprint legend having dominated the sport for the best part of a decade.
Bolt’s larger-than-life off-track persona perfectly matched an astonishing athletic prowess in any stadium he graced.
He claimed 19 global titles in a storied career, including double sprint golds at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, as well as two 4x100m relay golds.
At the world championships, the now 40-year-old won consecutive 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay gold medals from 2009-15, with the exception of 2011 when he false-started.
Importantly, the Jamaican is still the world record holder in the 100m and 200m.
“You’re always going to miss it,” Bolt said in Budapest, where he is an ambassador for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
“When you walk out into the stadium and you feel the energy, I do miss that.
“As a sportsman, you’re always going to miss that, that energy and those vibes and that adrenaline pumping.
“But it’s not my moment. I just enjoy and watch them because I know a lot of them are nervous. It’s exciting.
“It’s good to be in the stadium and to see the future champions.”
The draw of Bolt, who retired after the 2017 World Championships in London, has certainly not diminished.
His presence in the Hungarian capital guarantees a long line of awaiting athletes, officials and fans alike in the hope of sharing a word or two and taking a quick selfie.
‘Back In Our Sport’
It is something not lost on World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, who has long tried to find a suitable role for Bolt within track and field’s governing body.
“I sort of feel like Usain is back in our sport again,” said the Briton who won two Olympic 1,500m golds.
“That’s important, finding the format for him. We’ve been having these discussions pretty regularly most years since his retirement, and I felt he was very much at home here.”
“Usain has really enjoyed this. He just wants to do more in the sport.
“But if I’d gone to Usain, and said ‘Usain, would you chair a committee or a commission?’, he’s not going to want to do that.
“So it was finding stuff, and this was a very obvious one. I think we’ve sort of found what genuinely interests him,” Coe added.
Bolt was full of praise for the inaugural Ultimate, bringing together Olympic, world and Diamond League champions in a heady three nights of competition with an unprecedented prize money pot of $10 million.
“It’s great,” beamed Bolt. “The energy has been wonderful.
“I’m loving what’s going on. It’s exciting for me just to hang with the athletes. We’re all here together just talking, giving our thoughts on the next race.
“It’s a good step, a first step to changing track and field for the better.”
Bolt also played down the fact that no one sprinter was dominating as he had done.
“It just shows how great I was!” he joked. “Competition is always good. I think it’s fun.
“For me, it was great because I won, but it’s good to sometimes not know who’s going to win or who’s going to show up on the day.”
Bolt said he was happy with the legacy he left in athletics.
“My goal was always to be among the greats in sports,” he said, name-dropping boxer Muhammad Ali, nicknamed the “Greatest” and widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxers that has ever been.
“Over the years since I’ve been retired, I’ve seen what I wanted. So I’m happy that I’m actually in the conversation.”
AFP
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