'I would have broken the record again'- Usain Bolt reveals what stopped him from going under 9.58 seconds in 2011

Usain Bolt, athletics legend.

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Usain Bolt reveals what stopped him from going under 9.58 seconds

'I would have broken the record again'- Usain Bolt reveals what stopped him from going under 9.58 seconds in 2011

Abigael Wafula 17:17 - 20.02.2025

Usain Bolt reflects on the missed opportunity to lower his 9.58-second record before retirement.

Usain Bolt has revealed that he could have lowered his 9.58 seconds 100m world record if not for an injury that slowed him down.

The eight-time Olympic champion revealed that in 2011, he was in the form of his life and was on the verge of breaking the world record before the unfortunate happened and he had to give up his dreams.

Usain Bolt revealed that he was not planning to do it at the World Championships since it was a bit later. He was confident that the record would come sooner, either at a Diamond League Meeting or any event that would be ideal for him.

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Bolt revealed that he was sure about breaking the world record because his coach, Glen Mills, had also spoken about it and it was an unusual thing because the veteran tactician never used to mention that.

“My agent, masseuse and I made a bet on the time I would run to break the world record. One other year, if I wouldn’t get injured in that season, I would have broken the record again. It was in 2011 when I false started,” Usain Bolt said on The Fix podcast.

“That year, I was floating, I was running very well until I got injured and my coach was excited. I knew that if I wouldn’t have gotten injured that season, then I would have the world record.

“I would have set it at a meet, not the championship, the possibility was there but you never know how things are set.”

At the 2011 World Championships, Usain Bolt showed great progress through to the semifinal of the men’s 100m but was disqualified from the final due to a false start.

One of his serial rivals, Yohan Blake, went on to claim top honours in the race. Usain Bolt defended his false start, revealing that he had struggled to make an impact throughout the season and was unsure about how he could perform.

The 11-time world champion revealed that toeing the line in the final, he had become somebody else and had the fear of losing the race. After the reality check in the 100m, Usain Bolt picked up the pieces ahead of the 200m where he claimed top honours.

Usain Bolt continued rewriting history up until 2017 when he retired after the World Championships in London, Great Britain. He failed to accomplish the one major dream he had, lowering the world record time he had set in 2009.

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