• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Usain Bolt had zero doubts when naming the only sprinter who was capable of beating him over 100m

Home> Athletics

Updated 12:17 21 May 2025 GMT+1Published 12:12 21 May 2025 GMT+1

Usain Bolt had zero doubts when naming the only sprinter who was capable of beating him over 100m

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist gave his thoughts.

Luke Davies

Luke Davies

Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt once named the sprinter he believed was capable of beating him – and it’s not Justin Gatlin.

Bolt, 38, is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time and boasts both the 100 and 200m world records, both of which he set at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.

And since, several have tried but all have failed to beat his 9.58s 100m time and 19.19s 200m time.

Advert

At his peak, Bolt was arguably unbeatable but still boasted rivalries with Gatlin, 43, and his fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake.

Speaking earlier this year, Bolt revealed that Gatlin “spat” across his lane during a race.

Usain Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medallist (Credit:Getty)
Usain Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medallist (Credit:Getty)

“I remember the first time I competed with Justin, he spat across my lane, the first time I met him,” Bolt told High Performance.

Advert

“We were in, I think it was Zagreb [Croatia], and we were competing.

“You know when you warm up and you're running out of your blocks? I was walking back, and he was walking towards me, and he kind of spat across the lane in front of me."

He added: “I laughed because I knew what he was trying to do, but for me, it doesn't matter.

“All that matters is that when we line up and that gun goes, you’d better be ready. Because you're not going to intimidate me by spitting across the lane.

Advert

“But that's just who he was, and that's how he was wired because he was in the era before me where it was like that.”

Although Gatlin did beat Bolt in the 2017 World Championship 100m final, it was another sprinter who he felt was most capable of running faster over 100m.

The man in question is Asafa Powell, who held the 100m world record of 9.77s from 2005 until Bolt bettered it in May 2008 before improving on the time at the Beijing Olympics later that summer.

Asafa Powell is a former 100m world record holder (Credit:Getty)
Asafa Powell is a former 100m world record holder (Credit:Getty)

Advert

Powell, 42, had a successful career in his own right, winning one Olympic gold medal as part of Jamaica’s 4 x 100m team at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, alongside multiple other triumphs.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2011, Powell revealed that Bolt told him, “you're the only man in the world I think can beat me”.

"I think in the entire world, I'm the only person that has always scared him [Bolt],” said Powell.

“He's always been telling me that over the years. I get the truth out of him when he drinks a bit.”

Featured Image Credit: PUMA
Luke Davies
Luke Davies

Journalist with expertise covering football - both in England and abroad - as well as combat sports.

X

@lukedaviesmedia

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
a day ago
2 days ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Son of Premier League legend destroys Sir Mo Farah athletics record that's stood since 2011

    Sir Mo Farah's record of 12:53.11 was smashed by a former Premier League and England star's son.

    Athletics
  • a day ago

    Youngest-ever Olympic medallist is mystery French boy who has never been publicly identified

    He took part in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris.

    Athletics
  • a day ago

    Family of first place track star issue bombshell demand after she was disqualified for 'unsportsmanlike' behaviour

    The family of an American athletics star have made a huge demand after her controversial disqualification

    Athletics
  • 2 days ago

    Usain Bolt made his feelings clear on radical plan to strip him of every world record including 100m time

    The Olympic legend was not happy about the plans that would see him lose all three of his world records.

    Athletics
  • Usain Bolt's world record 100m time was 'beaten' by his toughest opponent but 'illegal' run never made it into the record books
  • Lamine Yamal had zero doubts when naming the two stadiums he’s desperate to play in
  • Usain Bolt has made his feelings clear on sprinter who 'broke' his 100m record with 'illegal' run
  • Vinnie Jones had zero doubts when naming his 'hardest men in football XI' and brutally snubbed Roy Keane