Usain Bolt admitted that he’d clock over 10 seconds if he ran the 100-metre race today – nearly a decade on from his glory days. The legendary Jamaican headed into retirement back in 2017, leaving a legacy as perhaps the greatest sprinter to ever grace the track, decorated with an array of accolades and unrivalled records.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist stunned at the 2009 World Championships with a world record time of 9.58 seconds, a mark that remains untouched by today’s stars – and one that may stand the test of time.
However, Bolt doubts he could even get close to his peak performance as a 38-year-old. While speaking to former Chelsea ace John Obi Mikel on the Obi One podcast, the Jamaican star said: “Maybe 10:30, that would be me.”
While still blisteringly quick for his age, 10.30 seconds is almost a full second behind his world-beating record and wouldn’t quite cut it among today’s sprinters.
For perspective, Bolt’s hypothetical best now would have seen him trailing last year’s Paris Olympic finalists, with the slowest in that race clocking 9.91 seconds.
The sprinter who came last at the 2024 Olympics was Oblique Seville – intriguingly, the same young athlete that Bolt believes has the potential to shatter his immortal 9.58 record.
Speaking to The Fix podcast, Bolt favoured Seville over other modern-era contenders – such as reigning Olympic gold-medalist Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and Fred Kerley – when it comes to toppling his towering record.
Bolt praised his fellow Jamaican, saying: “I feel like Oblique can do it. If he can stay fit during the season and get it right, I feel he can do it because I am sure there is something there, the ability to do it.”
Speaking to The Fix podcast, Bolt favoured Seville over other modern-era contenders – such as reigning Olympic gold-medalist Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and Fred Kerley – when it comes to toppling his towering record.
Bolt praised his fellow Jamaican, saying: “I feel like Oblique can do it. If he can stay fit during the season and get it right, I feel he can do it because I am sure there is something there, the ability to do it.”
The retired athlete also acknowledged Seville’s vulnerability but insisted that overcoming this challenge is key for him to become the world’s best. Bolt added: “Some of the time Oblique can be fragile. It’s a matter of the work situation or whatever, but if he’s doing enough work, he can do it. It’s a matter of time because he’s not missed the finals yet, so it’s just to get over the hump.”
