Usain Bolt is udisputedly the greatest sprinter of all tine and American rival Tyson Gay had a part to play in his career-defining moment.
Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has opened up about the pivotal moment that set him on the path to winning eight Olympic gold medals and cementing his status as the fastest man in history.
Despite holding world records in both the 100m and 200m, Bolt’s rise to dominance was not as seamless as his iconic races might suggest.
Bolt’s Olympic journey began at the 2004 Athens Games, where he had an underwhelming debut, failing to advance past the 200m heats.
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However, by the time the 2008 Beijing Olympics approached, Bolt was brimming with confidence, having shown remarkable promise in the preceding years.
Yet, one particular setback in 2007 served as a wake-up call and a turning point in his career.
At the DN Galan meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, Bolt faced off against American sprinter Tyson Gay in the 100m.
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Despite his self-belief, Bolt finished second, clocking 9.97 seconds, while Gay won with a time of 9.84 seconds. This defeat forced Bolt to reassess his readiness for global domination.
“There was one moment in 2007 before the 2008 Olympics when I thought I was ready,” Bolt recalled on a recent episode of The Cut Podcast.
“I thought I had trained hard enough to win, but I actually came second. In my mind, I was ready, but my coach knew otherwise. He couldn’t tell me outright, but he had watched how I trained and knew what I was truly capable of. I didn’t realize it at the time.”
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The loss against Gay became a crucial learning experience for Bolt.
“I ran all out and still came second. When I went back to my coach, he told me, ‘You were never ready,’ and he explained what I had done wrong. I said, ‘Alright boss, say less—next year.’”
Bolt used that lesson to fuel his preparation for the 2008 Olympics, where he delivered one of the most dominant performances in sprinting history.
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He claimed gold in both the 100m and 200m, setting new world records in the process. He went on to repeat his double gold triumphs at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, solidifying his legendary status.
Beyond the Olympics, Bolt shattered world records at the 2009 World Athletics Championships, running 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m—records that still stand today.
Looking back, the 2007 defeat at the hands of Tyson Gay was more than just a race lost; it was the catalyst that transformed Usain Bolt from a promising sprinter into an all-time great.
