Eight Olympic gold medals, 11 world titles and two world records that stand to this day. It’s little wonder why Usain Bolt is so often referred to as the G.O.A.T. of sprinting.
Reflecting on his career at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, the 40-year-old revealed that achieving this status in sport was always in his plans.
“My goal was always to be among the greats in sports, that when the conversation is being talked about Muhammad Ali, Michael Johnson, all these greats in different sports, I’m mentioned in that sentence,” the Jamaican told reporters, including Olympics.com in a group interview in Budapest. “So I think 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.”
As an athlete, Bolt transcended his sport in a way few others have. He brought a new level of interest in athletics as he dominated sprinting across three Olympic Games.
However, since his retirement, victories have often changed hands as the fastest men on the earth have struggled to match the dominance Bolt exerted throughout his career.
“Well, it just shows how great I was,” Bolt said with a laugh. “But no, it’s good. Competition is always good, I think it’s fun.
“For me it was great, because I won, but it’s good to not know sometimes who’s going to win or who’s going to show up on the day.
“So, for me, I always strive for competition, so to see different people winning, I think it makes it more exciting.”
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