The majority of gold medal winners at the Olympics attribute their success to endless hours of intense effort and commitment.
And while Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, has acknowledged that he never went above and beyond what was required to reach his amazing heights, this is undoubtedly also the case for him.
The legendary athlete has won eight gold medals in the Olympics, and since he established the world records in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2009 World Championships, neither record has been surpassed.
Bolt might not be confident in his chances over rather longer distances, despite his domination in the sprinting competitions.
That is, if the Olympic hero’s remarks in a social media video, when he said he never put his endurance to the test during his remarkable career, are any indication.
In a March TikTok video interview akin to vox-pop, Bolt was asked if he had ever completed a 5k or 10k on his “easy days,” which were presumably the days when he trained less hard.
The 38-year-old shook his head, sounding delighted, and said, “No, no.”
“You’ve never run a lap,” the interviewer inquired. The Jamaican man shook his head repeatedly in response.
Then he disclosed how far he had pushed himself, saying, “I ran 800 [meters].”
Questioned once more about his dislike of running laps, the former sprinter was perplexed and said, “No. I’m not a lapper.”
Although Bolt’s exceptional athleticism would have led many to believe that he would have participated in almost every running event, it would have been illogical for him to practice for such events.
The three-time Olympic gold medallist in the 100 and 200 meters will have spent a lot more time in the gym than on an athletics track, as sprinters rely heavily on power and explosiveness to cross the finish line first.
Notwithstanding Bolt’s inexperience, supporters nevertheless enthusiastically conjectured that they could outscore him over a greater distance.
“Gives me hope that I’d smash Usain Bolt in a 10k+ race,” one person wrote.
“Fastest man alive,” remarked another. I believe I could defeat Bolt in the 10-kilometer race.”
One user, who was sympathetic to his refusal to run any farther than was absolutely required, commented, “Usain and I actually have a lot in common in that way.”
The legendary athlete, who even said that the difficulties of training prevented him from participating in the 400-meter event early in his career, will not be too concerned about these remarks.
Bolt was predicted to move up to the longer sprint after winning gold in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and breaking new world records in both events.
He swiftly disregarded this, though, declaring in 2010 that “I don’t want to do 400m.” I don’t want to do it, even if a lot of people want me to. However, if necessary
Bolt then went on to win back-to-back gold medals in the 4 x 100m relay at the two Games, as well as successfully defend both Olympic championships in London 2012 and Rio 2016.
It is safe to assume that the Jamaican star’s refusal to run laps did not negatively impact his career in the slightest because of his accomplishments, which have led many to consider him the greatest sprinter of all time.