An online poll has been a topic of discussion among sports fans over the last several months. It compared Usain Bolt‘s pace with Kylian Mbappe’s on a 100-meter straight line. While it has generated a stir in the community, the Jamaican superstar was recently interviewed at the Laureus Sports Award 2024 and was asked the same question. On Instagram, 433 shared Bolt’s thoughts on the comparison. Bolt also challenged the French soccer player for a sprint.
The Laureus Sports Award 2024 had a lot of sports stars grace its red carpet. While many of them received awards for their achievements, there were also many other sports legends in attendance. Among the VIPs was Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprint legend.
The interviewer for 433 raced to the sports celebrity, who was near the red carpet area, to ask a specific question. With curiosity, he questioned the legend, “Prime Usain Bolt, against one football player… Who would you challenge? 100-meter sprint.” Bolt didn’t hesitate and responded:
“I really want to see how fast Mbappe is.”
The interviewer was taken aback, but he asked a follow-up question to the track icon, “Do you think he can beat you?” Bolt, however, was not intimidated, as he confidently responded,
“No, he can’t, but I would like to see how close we get.”
The interview finished on a positive note, with Bolt and the interviewer hugging each other. This is, however, a big revelation for the sports world. The 2018 World Cup winner is recognized for his incredible 100-meter straight-line pace of 10.9 seconds. That may seem fascinating to a soccer player, but on track, things are very different.
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Bolt established the 100-meter world record at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The 9.58-second mark is yet to be broken, and only a handful of athletes have gotten close. Bolt has been retired since 2017, but he looked confident that, in his prime, he could have easily beaten the soccer star. Aside from the short interview, Bolt also met several sports personalities on the red carpet. Among them was Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Usain Bolt joins Jude Bellingham for his iconic celebration at Laureus World Sports Awards 2024
Usain Bolt is known for several of his classic postures from his running days. The most well-known of these is “To Di World” or “Bolting,” in which he aims his index fingers at the sky. However, at the Laureus Sports Award 2024, the track veteran was seen interacting with Jude Bellingham
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The 20-year-old has been the talk of the sports world for his outstanding performance in La Liga, especially against their arch-rival, Barcelona, where he scored a critical goal in the 91st minute to help Real Madrid win (3-2). Bellingham also has a signature celebration, where he spreads his hands wide while facing the spectators. This time, he met Bolt, and when posing for a photo, they both attempted Bellingham’s iconic pose. Following the photograph, the sports stars hugged each other, which was a memorable moment for the crowd at the award show.
