The Top 5 Sprinters Ever – Can Gatlin upset the All-time Rankings in Beijing World Championships?
Best known for his record-breaking prowess, Bolt is an 8-time world champion who is regarded as the most successful athlete in the history of the World Championships. He also doubles as the WR holder in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m. He has 6 Olympic GOLD medals to his credit, making him the first athlete in history to have performed this incredible feat.
It therefore goes without saying that the 28-year old should be No.1 in the 100m/200m all-time list, having set world marks of 9.58s and 19.19s in the 100m/200m respectively at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. With his victory at the London Games in 2012, Bolt became the first man to defend an Olympic sprint title since Carl Lewis in 1988.
A hamstring injury in 2014 saw him close the season early, but not without leading the Jamaican 4x100m to a Championship Record of 37.58s at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His kicked off the 2015 season with the 100m in Rio de Janeiro where he clocked 10.12s. He ran the 200m in Ostrava and then New York, clocking 20.13s and 20.29s respectively.
It is clear to all and sundry that the greatest athlete of all time is yet to hit the form that made him an enigma on the tracks. He currently occupies a distant 60th position in the 2015 standings with a time of 10.12s. The WR holder may not be in shape to defend his titles in Beijing, and will most likely make a decision after running at the Sainsbury Anniversary Games this weekend.
The Jamaican gave nothing away at a recent interview on ‘IAAF Inside Athletics’ with Ato Boldon, declining to make any reference to the forthcoming championships. Instead, he seemed to place more emphasis on next year’s Olympic Games, where he will aim to defend his titles in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m where he holds all the WRs.
The Rio Games will be Bolt’s last outing at the Olympics, while he plans on retiring from the sport after the 2017 World Championships in London. His absence in Beijing may just signal the dawn of a new era in Track and Field!
