A sport can’t gain popularity amongst the masses without having some of the most nail-bitingly intense rivalry among its athletes. Such was the case with track and field icons Asafa Powell and Maurice Greene.
In an episode of the ‘Ready, Set, Go’ podcast, Powell talked about his and Greene’s relationship and rivalry during their prime. Both athletes were some of the finest of their times and, despite the cutthroat competition, held a lot of respect for each other.
In 2004, Powell beat Greene at a meet in London and also at the Weltklasse Golden League in Zurich, which made him a favorite choice for the Olympics. He talked about those days, admitting that he never expected to beat his rival in the first competition, let alone a second time in Zurich.
The Zurich meet also happened to host Justin Gatlin, one of the podcast hosts, who competed alongside Powell and Greene. Gatlin remembered how he was in awe of the new champion who managed to beat the veteran again and again, sealing his popularity amongst the masses.
“I was like, alright, Asafa has beaten this guy four times around the world. I was like, this dude is unstoppable!”
While the rivalry was always highlighted, with newspapers capturing Powell and Greene going head-to-head on track, the former maintained how it all boiled down to immense mutual respect.
Rodney Greene, the co-host of the podcast, admitted how, in the end, these athletes deserved admiration, and Maurice Greene deserved special recognition for making 100m look good.
“Maurice Greene made the 100 sexy… he made people want to be him. The tongue swag, the walking back and forth, the famous fire extinguisher on the shoes…like we were running but he was entertaining.”
Greene managed to keep the audience engaged, and his fellow track and field icons appreciated how he made the division popular single-handedly. In fact, athletes often go beyond the timer and the track to create an image of their own, as the hosts once discussed how track and field was all about pushing boundaries.
Gatlin and Greene discuss the importance of breaking boundaries in track and field
In a previous episode, the two hosts discussed how track and field was all about breaking the barriers – of time, records, and now, of an athlete’s perception. Gatlin emphasized how athletes needed to create a legacy that went beyond their records and time on track.
Being more than just a track and field athlete meant that the world would perceive them for more than just their performances, In fact, Gatlin wants that scenario for himself, and that is exactly why he tries to pass on his experiences to the newer generation.
Recalling legend Florence Griffith Joyner, Gatlin admitted how it was puzzling to him that fans did not know much about her personality, except for her being the fastest woman on Earth. Therefore, he believed athletes needed to talk more about themselves and pass on their experiences to others. That will help keep their name alive beyond the track and their records.
