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US sprint legend Maurice Greene recently hit out at modern sprinters for not capitalizing on technological advancements to lower Usain Bolt’s world records but is that alone enough?
Is former Olympics 100m champion Maurice Greene justified in his criticism of modern sprinters for failing to take advantage of technological advancements to beat Usain Bolt’s records?
Bolt set both the 100m and 200m world records of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds respectively at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany but since then, no sprinter has come close.
In fact, Bolt holds the three fastest 100m times of all-time (9.58, 9.63 and 9.69) while in 200m, his Jamaican compatriot Yohan Blake has the second fastest of 19.26, which was set 13 years ago, with the third best of 19.30 still going to the legendary sprinter and American Noah Lyles fourth 19.31 set in 2022.
However, Greene, during a recent interview on Asafa Powell's YouTube channel, claimed that he would have run 9.50 seconds were he competing today, given the advent of super shoes and improved standards of the running track, claiming modern sprinters like Lyles are sleeping on the job.
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16:30 - 23.10.2024
'I would have ran 9.5-something on this track!' - American legend underwhelmed by Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson & Co's times at Paris Olympics
Greene has slammed modern sprinters for misguided priorities despite the modern technology now in place to make them faster, which he believes have led to a lack of progression since the Usain Bolt days.
"I've always said as time progresses, man progresses, technology progresses, and people get faster," said Greene.
"With the technology and the shoes that they've got now, and the tracks that they're running on, there's no way in the world you can tell me they shouldn't have run faster.
"If that was [me] man, I probably would have run 9.50 seconds or something on this track. Like, come on. They're so caught up with clicking this, getting this click and not putting the focus into the progression of the race and trying to perfect their race.
"That's why I don't think we've seen a progression since Bolt. Bolt put it out there, but now it's like nobody's getting close to that. But why aren't you getting close to that? Because the shoes are better than his, the tracks are faster. So, things should be coming on, but [instead] they're worried about: 'Oh, give me this click', and doing this and that."
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18:34 - 03.11.2024
'I'm always happy when it stays intact' - Usain Bolt relieved Noah Lyles failed to break his world records at Paris Olympics
Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has revealed how he was never worried that American Noah Lyles world lower his 100m and 200m world records at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Greene set the world 100m record in 1999, when he ran 9.79 seconds to break Donovan Bailey’s 9.84 seconds, while he also won five world titles, three of them in 100m as well as Olympics gold at the 2000 Sydney Games over the distance.
However, banking on super shoes and better track standards alone is not enough given tactics and talent make the difference.
Bolt was a unique sprinter who executed his tactics with aplomb and even with the changes in sports science, it is still debatable if any of the current generation have the talent to beat his mark.
Modern sprinters cannot be overly criticized for not doing enough as Lyles has tried to lower those records without success.
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07:15 - 07.11.2024
'My fiancée is at home'- Noah Lyles dismisses rematch pleas from YouTube star as he runs back to Junelle Bromfield
After beating IShowSpeed in a 50m race, Noah Lyles declined a rematch, urging the 21-year-old to train for the US trials instead while he headed home to his fiancée and $100,000 prize.
The American had promised to break Bolt’s 100m mark at the 2024 Paris Olympics but could only manage 9.79, equaling Greene’s record of 25 years ago, which is now the 12th fastest, in what was a photo finish with Jamaican Kishane Thompson.
That suggests there is more to just technological advancements when it comes to attempting to lower Bolt’s records.
In fact, Bolt himself tends to agree that talent matters more than anything else. In a past interview with talkSPORT, the Jamaican legend explained why he was not worried over any of his records tumbling at the Paris Olympics.
"Not now. I've not seen the talent yet to get there [to the records],” said Bolt.
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05:30 - 06.11.2024
Asafa Powell commends Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley & Co for respecting his generation amid tensions with older athletes
Asafa Powell has heaped praise on modern athletes like Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley for respecting his generation of athletes, while aiming digs at older generation athletes.
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