Usain Bolt makes startling admission on his fitness eight years after retirement
Usain Bolt will go down as an Olympic great but after dealing with an injury post-retirement the Jamaican now struggles to walk up the stairs without getting out of breath
Usain Bolt admits that he now struggles to walk up the stairs without getting breathless as one of the great modern athletes adapts to retired life. The Jamaican legend remains the fastest human in history with a stellar Olympic legacy.
Bolt first made a name for himself in 2008 in Beijing and went on to dominate on the track en route to eight Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles. The 39-year-old remains the holder of the 100m world record following his effort in 9.58 seconds.
But after calling time on his career in 2017, he's spent the last year trying to overcome a torn Achilles tendon, which has impacted on his daily life. He was never known for his cardiovascular endurance as a sprinter, but the extent to which he's been impacted is startling.
He told The Guardian: "I mostly do gym workouts [now]. I’m not a fan, but I think now that I’ve been out for a while, I have to actually start running. Because when I walk upstairs, I get out of breath. I think when I start working on it fully again, I will probably have to do some laps just to get my breathing right.”
Bolt, alongside his 100m effort, holds two more world records which underline his speed at his break. He also holds the record for the fastest-ever 200m, which he did in 19.19. The Jamaican was also part of the fast ever 4x100m efforts, which was done in 36.84.
He was part of a stellar era that saw him compete against - and largely beat - the likes of Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin. The current crop haven't been able to challenge their times and Bolt insists that he and his former rivals were simply better.
He said: "We’re just more talented. That’s all I’m saying. Of course, it shows when it comes to the men. You can see the women are different. They’re running faster times and faster times. So it shows – it has to be the talent.”
No one has broken 9.70 since the Lausanne Diamond League meeting that followed London 2012. The current Olympic champion in the 100m, Noah Lyles, claimed gold by running a PB of 9.79. The American has claimed "the one that I have my heart set on" is the 200m record held by Bolt.
Bolt remained a huge personality throughout his career, transcending his sport, and wants to see track and field athletes being more authentic and engaging with fans. “It’s the personality,” he said. “I think a lot of people try to be fun but it comes off different. It’s just having a good time. If you try too hard, it’s not going to be the same.”