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Usain Bolt has brought a winners mentality into athletics and his legacy is tipped to reign as long as possible.
American sprint legend Justin Gatlin has given his seal of approval on why he conquers with the adoring fans of Usain Bolt who believe the Jamaican is the greatest sprinter of all-time.
While the 2004 Olympic 100m champion Gatlin ranked himself among the top five greatest athletes, the four-time world champion lauded Bolt for transforming the sport and changing perception. This, he said, has brought a winners mentality to his successors but it will take something special to dethrone the three-time Olympic 100m champion from the number one sport.
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18:45 - 23.12.2024
Usain Bolt reveals meal plan that helped him smash 100m world record at 2008 Beijing Olympics
Usain Bolt broke world records in all his three specialties but the 2008 Olympics diet change was the beginning of his dominance on track.
Speaking on the Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin, who is a three-time Diamond League 100m champion said: "Bolt is my number one. What he has done, not only being the record setter that he is but he's brought a proper rock star mentality to a sport that really didn't have it."
Bolt, who retired in 2017, is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. Even though comparisons with Olympic champion Noah Lyles continue to dominate headlines, Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100m and 200m titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012, and 2016).
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20:20 - 22.12.2024
He's going to be ours: How Adidas beat Puma and Nike to win the race for signature of Usain Bolt’s successor Gout Gout
The apparel and footwear manufacturer used two criterion as sweetener to get Gout Gout sign the deal ahead of both Nike and Puma.
The 38-year-old gained worldwide fame for his double sprint victory in world record times at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which made him the first person to hold both records since fully automatic time became mandatory.
At the same time, Gatlin lauded the impact of American great Michael Johnson for how his famous gold shoes became a trademark of unrivaled performance in the discipline. "Michael Johnson comes second because of the gold shoes. Not only was he famous for what he has done on the track for the 200 and 400 but he made his damn shoes infamous."
Michael Johnson became Olympic Champion four times, and World Champion eight times in the span of his career.
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