Throughout his illustrious track career, Usain Bolt has encountered numerous difficult competitors. The Jamaican icon was feared on the grid due to his remarkable speed, which helped him to hold the world records he set back then, even in the modern era.
In a recent episode of the Ready Set Go podcast on YouTube, Justin Gatlin and Rodney A. Green welcomed retired American sprinter Wallace Spearmon, who revealed how Bolt intimidated him during a relay race at the Zurich IAAF Golden League in 2009. This particular podcast was also reposted by the Jamaican icon himself on Instagram, as he was happy to relive the moment.
The one-time world champion has competed in numerous races against Bolt. Aside from his track skills, he recalls how the Jamaican athlete entertained not just his fans but also those who knew him.
However, Spearmon despises admitting that he has a special power to instill fear in his opponents on the track. He had a taste of it in the 2009 Zurich IAAF Golden League’s 4×100-meter relay race, as he describes:
“I’m like three to six meters up…I’m exaggerating on the low end, and Bolt catches me…I can hear him; he’s like, ‘Alright, Wallace, I’m coming, okay, get your knees up.’ While we’re running the race.”
The one-time world champion still has no words to describe Bolt’s technique during the final leg of the relay. The Jamaican legend also forgot about this incident, as he reveals in his Instagram story:
“@princespearmon bro I forgot about that story [laughing emoji] you know it, nothing but love lol @justingatlin”
Aside from running, Bolt has had several instances like this with different athletes. Back at the 2017 World Championships, he was a fan favorite to win the 100-meter finals, but rival Justin Gatlin was far ahead of all the mental games that the Jamaican athlete had up his sleeve.
The Crowd That Triggered Justin Gatlin to Beat Usain Bolt
Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt have shared several grids, competing primarily in the 100 and 200 meters. However, when they came to London for the 2017 World Championships, the audience greeted them differently.
While everyone cheered for Bolt, the audience booed Gatlin. This crowd’s antics, however, fueled the American sprinter’s focus and determination, as he realized he needed to shut them down. He maintained his pledge to himself and finished with an excellent 9.92. But he would not stop just yet; as soon as the camera focused on him, he shushed the crowd and went to bow down to Bolt as a symbol of mutual respect.
