‘He will never exchange a word with me’: Usain Bolt recalls strange behaviour from track rival Justin Gatlin

Usain Bolt retired in 2017 after years of dominance in the 100 and 200 meters. The sporting legend has also had rivalries with several athletes, including the classic American-Jamaican rivalry with Justin Gatlin. On The Obi One Podcast, Bolt shares surprising behavior from the four-time world champion that confused him at the time.

While most athletes are fiercely competitive on the track, they often have a different personality outside of the sport. Bolt is no exception; despite being fiercely competitive, he never let frustrations with track competitors consume him.

He always remained cheerful, which endeared him to the athletic community. However, his coach, Glenn Mills, always advised him to keep an eye on Justin Gatlin.

Bolt recalls that the two athletes had heated confrontations on the track until his retirement in 2017, with Gatlin offering Bolt stiff opposition in his final years as a competitor. However, their liaison was fraught with confusion on the Jamaican’s part.

“Justin is the only one who, the whole season, will never say a word to me. Once the championship is over, he’s the nicest guy and that always makes me feel weird. I’m like, ‘What are you doing?'”

As the years passed and Justin repeated the same pattern, Bolt realised that Gatlin’s strategy was not to talk to rivals during the racing season, especially at events like the World Championships.

The Jamaican admits that the four-time world champion has no personal grudge against his competitors, but he prefers to keep his distance when it comes to an award.

Both athletics legends have competed in numerous competitions and pushed each other to their limits. Bolt was usually the first to finish, but the 2017 London World Championships told a different story.

Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt on the grid for the 100M final

During the 100-meter sprint final at the 2017 World Championships in London, the crowd cheered for Usain Bolt. He was a fan favorite, but the crowd reacted very differently when the cameras were trained on Justin Gatlin, who was loudly booed.

This inappropriate gesture from the crowd could have been demoralizing, but Gatlin didn’t let his emotions get in the way of his 100-meter final. Instead, the boos lit a fire inside him. Despite a 0.8 headwind, Gatlin won the race with a time of 9.92 seconds, edging out the Jamaican runner.

After the victory, Gatlin immediately looked into the camera and silenced the 100,000 people who had previously booed him. He then walked over to Bolt and bowed before him, demonstrating their mutual respect despite their intense rivalry.