'Threw me off' - Usain Bolt reveals demotivation in 2013 World Championships lowkey competition

'Threw me off' - Usain Bolt reveals demotivation in 2013 World Championships lowkey competition

Evans Ousuru 10:30 - 15.12.2024

Bolt's main rivals missed the competition because of various reasons making it easier for the Jamaican to cruise to victory.

Three-time Olympic 100m gold medalist Usain Bolt has said a lack of competition in the 2013 World Championships is one thing he remains pissed off in his trophy-laden career.

The 11-time World champion secured three titles in Moscow but  achieved his feat in the absence of his three main rivals. To ease any worries over his slowing times, he won 100m gold in 9.77s and 200m gold in 19.66s plus the 4x100m relay.

However, they were won in the absence of his compatriots Yohan Blake (injured) and Asafa Powell (drugs ban), while America’s Tyson Gay was also serving time after testing positive for a banned substance.

When asked if the absence of his fiercest competitors left him demotivated, Bolt told TalkSport: "2013 taught me a lot about myself. I knew when Blake was out, because we train together. So I remember thinking then: ‘Alright, Tyson, Asafa and Justin Gatlin are still there. But then the Asafa problem came up. Then the Tyson problem came up, and it kind of threw me off."

Bolt's demotivation stemmed from the fact that he loved competition and competing against the best. He said  competition is what made him train harder everyday. "I was like: ‘Huh!’ Because I live for competition. I love to compete against the best. I want to be in the best race, not a race where it’s one or two people competing. I want everybody to be great, so that when it happens I can say I defeated a great field and won.

He added: "Competition is what makes me want to work hard and train hard.”

Bolt remains the greatest sprinter in history and it remains to be seen who will be able to break his records.