Usain Bolt’s name remains inseparable from speed. Eight years after retiring, his world records in the 100m (9.58s), 200m (19.19s) and the 4x100m relay (36.84s) remain untouched.
Yet the man who once turned sprinting finals into global spectacles admits that everyday exertion now leaves him struggling.
“I mostly do gym workouts. I’m not a fan, but I think now that I’ve been out for a while I have to actually start running. Because when I walk up stairs I get out of breath. I think when I start working on it fully again, I will probably have to do some laps just to get my breathing right,” Bolt told The Guardian in Tokyo, where he attended the World Athletics Championships.
Bolt has been sidelined by a ruptured Achilles and scoliosis, conditions that have eroded the fitness base he built across three Olympic Games. Still, his competitive instinct is undimmed.
Asked why today’s men’s sprinters haven’t matched his generation despite advanced spikes and tracks, his response was blunt: “You want the real answer? We’re just more talented. That’s all I’m saying.”
Bolt remains clear about his place in athletics.
“When I was competing, I was working to break the benchmark. Now that I've retired, it's a great feeling to know that I'm the benchmark. If you want to be the best, you want to be a legend. I wanted to set high standards and I did. I'm happy about that,” he said in an interview on September 14.