Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt remains the most dominant sprinter of all time, boasting eight Olympic gold medals throughout his career. The world record holder in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, Bolt has not raced since retiring after the 2017 World Championships. However, in a recent interview on the Ready Set Go podcast, the 38-year-old revealed why he never cherished the 400m event.
His revelation comes as Australian teenage sensation Gout Gout continues to shine, recently surpassing Noah Lyles’ personal best. Competing at Brisbane’s Joanna Stone Shield on March 1, Gout clocked an impressive 46.20 seconds in the 400m. Last year, he ran 20.04 in the 200m, making him only the second under-18 athlete to surpass Bolt’s record in that category.
Despite his potential across multiple sprint events, Gout appears to be focusing on shorter sprints, much like Bolt did at a young age. Reflecting on his career, Bolt admitted to having a strong dislike for the 400m event. “The 400 meters, I didn’t care. I didn’t care about nothing. The fear of the 400, bro. I just… I just didn’t want to do it,” he said.
The podcast, hosted by American sprint legend Justin Gatlin alongside former Bahamian athlete Rodney Green, provided insight into Bolt’s early experiences in the event. He explained that he was forced to compete in the 400m at school after winning a championship but that it was never his personal preference. “I started running the 400 meters because I did that at the Boys and Girls Championships in my last year, and I won,” he shared.
Unlike the 100m and 200m, which suited his strengths and speed, Bolt disliked the intense effort required for the 400m. “So L-1 was doing two-four, but I understand the work that you have to put in for the 400. I was like, ‘Nah.’ So I didn’t really have a motivation I just didn’t want to do the 400 meters,” he admitted.
Bolt’s achievements have earned him the nickname “Lightning Bolt” and numerous accolades, including the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track & Field Athlete of the Year, BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year (three times), and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (four times). He was also named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2016.
As the most successful male athlete in World Championships history, Bolt remains the first sprinter to win four 200m world titles and is among the most decorated in the 100m, with three titles. His historic performances include being the first person to break both the 9.7-second and 9.6-second barriers in the 100m.
