Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, recently opened up about one of the rare defeats in his career that still haunts him. The legendary sprinter confirmed a story shared by his longtime friend and fellow athlete Wallace Spearmon, revealing how Xavier Carter handed him an unexpected loss in 2007 before seemingly disappearing from elite sprinting.
The revelation came after Spearmon recounted the incident on a podcast alongside former competitors. According to him, Carter’s bold trash talk and surprise victory in Zurich left Bolt humiliated, possibly fueling his determination for the record-breaking performances that followed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The race took place shortly after the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, where Bolt had secured silver in the 200m behind Tyson Gay, with Spearmon taking bronze. As the season continued with Golden League meets, Carter issued a playful but confident challenge aimed directly at Bolt.
Bolt admitted that Carter’s taunts left an impression on him. “It hurts me to the core up to this day because I never got a chance to beat him back,” he lamented.
At the time, Carter was in prime form, known for his brash personality and outstanding track achievements, which included nine Florida state titles and records in the 100m, 200m, and 400m. However, Bolt underestimated how exhausted he was following a grueling championship season.
“I never got a chance. I will never forget. We came back from the championship, and Wallace goes, ‘Bro, Xavier been training for a couple of weeks, he is ready!’”
Despite warnings from Spearmon, Bolt was convinced he could compete. “He goes to me, ‘Bro, you are tired.’ And I go, ‘I am good’ because you do not know you are tired—but you are tired.”
As the race unfolded, reality hit Bolt hard.
“I pull up to the race, and while we are running, I realize, ‘Shit, I am tired!’ I am trying to go, but my body is like ‘nah!’”
To make matters worse, after securing the win, Carter made a bold gesture by crossing his arms in an “X” sign, further provoking Bolt.
“I was pissed. I decided I was not running in the next game, so I went to Wallace, grabbed him by his shirt, and told him, ‘You better beat him!’”
What frustrated Bolt even more was that he never got another shot at redemption. Carter’s presence in top-tier track and field faded not long after, robbing Bolt of the opportunity to settle the score.
Though he would go on to dominate sprinting for nearly a decade, setting multiple world records and winning numerous Olympic golds, this rare defeat still lingers in his memory—one of the few unavenged blemishes in an otherwise legendary career.
