In a sport housing athletes from all across the world, rivalries are not surprising to witness. The track and field arena has several such competitive figures who have experienced their fair share of camaraderie and banter. One of them happened to be between Usain Bolt, Wallace Spearmon, and Xavier Carter.
In a candid conversation with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, Spearmon recalled some of the most iconic moments he shared with the Olympic GOAT during their prime. One such anecdote came up where they discussed an informal tiff instigated by Carter.
Back when they had been racing actively, Spearmon revealed how he had received a mysterious call from Carter. Interestingly, the latter dropped a thinly veiled threat, claiming he would destroy both Spearmon and Bolt in Zurich.
“Yeah you just had your world championship and got your medal. When you get over here in Zurich, I’mma have my world championship and tear your a** up.”
When Bolt enquired about the phone call, Spearmon confessed that it was Carter, calling to challenge both of them. The Jamaican took no noticeable stress, went on to party, and got ready to race. Meanwhile, Spearmon had a word with his agent and decided to drop out, citing exhaustion.
Well, as fate would have it, Bolt lost to Carter, and his friend recalled how disappointed he had been since then. This race took place before Bolt’s big moment at the Olympics, and the rival banter made him pretty upset.
“Bolt was mad…until he won the Olympics, he was p***ed.”
Ultimately, the Jamaican emerged as the world champion, went on to shine at the Olympics, and became the GOAT of track and field. However, a little banter with fellow rivals and friends has never been alien to Bolt.
Usain Bolt once had fun taunting Wallace Spearmon during a race
It’s safe to say that Bolt might have intimidated several competitors during his prime, as he was one of the leading champions on the track with a strategic mind and raw talent. In the same podcast, Spearmon reminisced how Bolt had used his strengths to instill fear in him.
At the 2009 Zurich IAAF Golden League’s 4×100-meter relay race, Bolt approached Spearmon to have a chat while still running the race. The Jamaican asked his competitor to buckle up on his approach, which left Spearmon quite intimidated. Of several anecdotes the two friends shared throughout their career, this was a rare moment that even Bolt enjoyed listening to.
