Usain Bolt has revealed what he believes to be hindering the growth of current generation of sprinters to exceed the level of those of the past.
Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt has shared his thoughts on the current state of track and field, particularly focusing on what he believes is ailing today’s male sprinters.
As one of the pioneers of Jamaica’s golden era of sprinting, Bolt, along with fellow Jamaican stars Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake, dominated the track, taking on American sprint legends like Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay.
This era saw some of the fastest times in history, with Bolt setting the world record at 9.58 seconds.
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Blake and Gay followed with 9.69 seconds, Powell clocked 9.72, and Gatlin rounded out the top five fastest sprinters of all time.
In comparison, the current crop of male sprinters has yet to match those historic times. The fastest among them include American sprinters Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, and Trayvon Bromell, all tied at 9.76 seconds.
Jamaican Olympic silver medalist Kishane Thompson has a personal best of 9.77 seconds, while reigning Olympic champion Noah Lyles has clocked 9.79 seconds.
Speaking on the Ready Set Go podcast hosted by Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, Bolt expressed his concerns about the current generation of sprinters, particularly the men.
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“I must say, the competition, especially on the women’s side, has not dropped. In fact, I think they have really surpassed the men when it comes to competing. I watch them, and the level they’re at is incredible—everyone is running world records, hitting personal bests, and performing at an elite level,” said Bolt.
While he acknowledged that today’s male sprinters are still performing well, he believes they could do better.
“For me, it’s okay, but I think it could be better. A lot of them don’t understand. I watch my fellow Jamaicans, and I think, ‘Yo, you guys don’t want it like we used to.’ When I sit and have conversations, observe training sessions, and watch them prepare, I can tell it’s not the same,” he added.
Bolt emphasized that in his era, competition was fierce, and he and his rivals constantly pushed each other to improve.
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“Back then, the moment I thought about my competition, I knew they were thinking about me too. I showed up at the track every day determined to get things right,” said Bolt.
“I knew I was good at top-end speed, but if I couldn’t catch my opponent at the end, what would happen? So, I had to make sure I worked on everything.”
Bolt also highlighted the dedication and resilience required to succeed at the highest level.
“Even when I felt pain in my calf, I still needed to do something—maybe not a full program, but at least some jogging or drills to make sure I didn’t waste the day. I don’t think most of these younger athletes have that same mindset. They’re just not the same.”
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This level of commitment propelled Bolt to four consecutive Olympic Games, where he amassed eight gold medals across the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics, in addition to multiple world titles.
His dominance redefined sprinting, setting a standard that today’s generation has yet to fully match.
As track and field continues to evolve, Bolt’s words serve as both a critique and a challenge to today’s sprinters.
