‘It was just a bet’ – Usain Bolt reveals the only reason he chose to run 100m

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt. Photo. Imago

‘It was just a bet’ – Usain Bolt reveals the only reason he chose to run 100m

Evans Ousuru 21:31 - 17.03.2025

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt explains why he preferred 100m in his trophy-laden career.

The fastest man alive was a dominant force in sprints, claiming eight gold medals in the process before he opted to hang up his spikes in 2017.

Usain Bolt has finally opened up about his decision to focus on 100m over other races.

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Although the Jamaican won a trio of 100m and 200m gold at three different Olympics, the 38-year-old was known  to give much attention to 100m. Bolt, in anterview with talkSPORT, said his coach wanted him  to channel his energy into the 400m so that he could get the endurance to thrive in the 200m.

However, he likened his decision to choose 100m over other short sprints to a bet because he took a gamble that paid off instantly. “It was just a bet. We were talking about what we needed to do, and he said I needed to get into the gym and I also needed to run another event. I was like, 'Coach, I’m not doing 400 metres', and he said, 'No, you have to do 400m because it’s going to help your 200m," Bolt said.

The 11-time World Champion further explained that he was willing to focus on the 400m if he  found out that he was too slow for the 100m dash. "I said, 'Alright, let’s make a bet. Let me run one 100m; if I run fast, I run 100m; if I run slow, I run the 400m. But he thought I was going to run slow. "

He continued: “I’ll never forget that Wallace Spearmon and I were actually in that race in Greece. Wallace and I were talking and we said if I can just get 10.1 seconds, I think that’s quick enough. I’ve never said this before, the only reason is I just never wanted to run the 400m. I didn’t care about anything, but the fear of the 400m I just didn’t want to do it."

The Jamaican sprinting superstar is widely regarded as the greatest of all time. He burst onto the world stage with breathtaking performances at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he triumphed in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, all while shattering records.

This incredible achievement was matched in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, where he earned the prestigious "triple-triple" of gold medals. Bolt's world records in the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19 seconds) stand as powerful testaments to his extraordinary speed.

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