Usain Bolt’s dominance of athletics will be soon coming to an end.
The Jamaican sprinter said next year’s Olympics will be his last and he will retire after the 2017 World Championships in London.
Bolt said his original plan was to walk away from the track after the Rio Olympics, but changed his mind and will now compete at the 100m at the 2017 tournament in London.
‘That was the initial plan [to retire after the Rio Olympics]. But my sponsor has asked me to go on for another year, to 2017 and London’.
‘But I’ll be doing one event [in 2017], the 100. I’ve already discussed it with my coach. I can concentrate on that, and on retiring on a winning note’.
Bolt has won six Olympic gold medals and currently holds the world record 100m time, after running 9.58 in the 2009 World Championships in 2009. The 28 year old will compete at the World Championships this year in Beijing, the place where he became a global star in 2008 and says he believes he can get faster before he retires.
‘If everything goes well this season…in my life anything is possible. If I can get myself in good shape, it should be wonderful this season’.
‘I live for competition. I thrive on competition. I live to compete against the best’.
Hat-tip BBC Sport.
