Usain Bolt - Getty Images
Triple world and Olympic
champion Usain Bolt has
confirmed that he plans to
retire after the 2016 Olympics
in Rio de Janeiro because he
wants to go out "on top of my career". Bolt, who runs his last race of
the season when he competes
in the 100 metres in Friday's
Diamond League meeting in
Brussels, says his mission is to
continue his domination of the
sprint events for the next three
years but admits that winning
another Olympic gold medal at
the Rio Games would be the
perfect way to bow out.
"I think if I am in great shape,
I'll go there and do what I have
to do," he told a news conference yesterday. "I think it will be a
good time to retire on top and having dominated for so long."
The Jamaican has spoken on numerous occasions about his dream of clinching the Olympic
100 and 200m double for an unprecedented third time, though he still has other goals before then. Although he has yet to draw up his 2014 schedule with his coach, Glen Mills, he already has eyes on winning his first Commonwealth title in Glasgow in the summer and he also wants to lower
his own 200m world record of 19.19sec, which he set, along with the world 100m mark,
at the World Championships in Berlin four years ago. "The 100m world record is the
hardest to break because it is more technical," he said.
"In the 200m, if I can master the bend and stay injury-free, there is room for improvement.
" Although there is no global championship next year, Bolt will not make the mistake he made
in the last non-championship year in 2010 when he cut back on his pre-season training and
paid the price by suffering a back injury midway through the summer. "If I want to continue to
dominate on the track, I can't afford an off season," he said.
"That is a lesson that I've learnt. Now that I'm getting a bit older, I know that I have to stay
injury-free, maintain focus and act responsibly." Injury issues surfaced at the start of this
summer when Bolt struggled with a hamstring problem and he suffered a rare defeat at the
hands of American rival Justin Gatlin at the Rome Golden Gala. He was unbeaten thereafter
and went on to win 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles at last month's World Championships in
Moscow, but he admits he did not have a "perfect" season and that he did not win "in Usain
Bolt fashion". Part of the problem, he said, was rediscovering his motivation following his triple
triumph at the London Olympics. "I couldn't find that goal, that drive to get going again," he said.
"I sat down and thought to myself, 'What do I really want?' and 'What can I do in this sport
some more?' "I've made up my mind that if I want to be among the greats of Ali, Pele and
all these guys, I have to continue dominating until I retire. "I'm really focused on getting
every season correct, trying not to get injured, and just continue dominating so at the end
of my career people will put me among the greats."
Bolt showed signs of end-of-season fatigue when he struggled out of his blocks in Zurich
last week and had to come from a long way behind to win his 100m race in 9.90sec.
He will not be able to relax in tomorrow's race in Belgium as he comes up against five
other 100m finalists from the World Championships. Among them is Britain's James
Dasaolu, who will be hoping for an improvement on his eight-place finish in Moscow and, weather permitting, his third sub-10-second performance of the summer.
champion Usain Bolt has
confirmed that he plans to
retire after the 2016 Olympics
in Rio de Janeiro because he
wants to go out "on top of my career". Bolt, who runs his last race of
the season when he competes
in the 100 metres in Friday's
Diamond League meeting in
Brussels, says his mission is to
continue his domination of the
sprint events for the next three
years but admits that winning
another Olympic gold medal at
the Rio Games would be the
perfect way to bow out.
"I think if I am in great shape,
I'll go there and do what I have
to do," he told a news conference yesterday. "I think it will be a
good time to retire on top and having dominated for so long."
The Jamaican has spoken on numerous occasions about his dream of clinching the Olympic
100 and 200m double for an unprecedented third time, though he still has other goals before then. Although he has yet to draw up his 2014 schedule with his coach, Glen Mills, he already has eyes on winning his first Commonwealth title in Glasgow in the summer and he also wants to lower
his own 200m world record of 19.19sec, which he set, along with the world 100m mark,
at the World Championships in Berlin four years ago. "The 100m world record is the
hardest to break because it is more technical," he said.
"In the 200m, if I can master the bend and stay injury-free, there is room for improvement.
" Although there is no global championship next year, Bolt will not make the mistake he made
in the last non-championship year in 2010 when he cut back on his pre-season training and
paid the price by suffering a back injury midway through the summer. "If I want to continue to
dominate on the track, I can't afford an off season," he said.
"That is a lesson that I've learnt. Now that I'm getting a bit older, I know that I have to stay
injury-free, maintain focus and act responsibly." Injury issues surfaced at the start of this
summer when Bolt struggled with a hamstring problem and he suffered a rare defeat at the
hands of American rival Justin Gatlin at the Rome Golden Gala. He was unbeaten thereafter
and went on to win 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles at last month's World Championships in
Moscow, but he admits he did not have a "perfect" season and that he did not win "in Usain
Bolt fashion". Part of the problem, he said, was rediscovering his motivation following his triple
triumph at the London Olympics. "I couldn't find that goal, that drive to get going again," he said.
"I sat down and thought to myself, 'What do I really want?' and 'What can I do in this sport
some more?' "I've made up my mind that if I want to be among the greats of Ali, Pele and
all these guys, I have to continue dominating until I retire. "I'm really focused on getting
every season correct, trying not to get injured, and just continue dominating so at the end
of my career people will put me among the greats."
Bolt showed signs of end-of-season fatigue when he struggled out of his blocks in Zurich
last week and had to come from a long way behind to win his 100m race in 9.90sec.
He will not be able to relax in tomorrow's race in Belgium as he comes up against five
other 100m finalists from the World Championships. Among them is Britain's James
Dasaolu, who will be hoping for an improvement on his eight-place finish in Moscow and, weather permitting, his third sub-10-second performance of the summer.
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