- Title: Bolt gets his running shoes for finale in London
- Date: 1st August 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 1, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** USAIN BOLT'S PARENTS WALKING ON TO STAGE TO JOIN THEIR SON BEFORE PRESENTING WITH HIS NEW RUNNING SHOES FOR THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BOLT TALKING TO REPORTER BOLT'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) USAIN BOLT, TALKING ABOUT WHY HE WON'T BE RACING THE 200 METRES AT THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, SAYING: "The 100 (metres) is easier. I mean it is as simple as that, you know what I mean? If I'm running 200 metres it's going to be a lot of work and it's a good thing because I think if it was a 200 metres that I was running and then the whole Germaine situation happened then it would be harder because there now... it would be really bad, you know what I mean?" REPORTER, ASKING: "And this is not a case of being scared of Wayde (van Niekerk) or (Andre) DeGrasse in the 200?" "(LAUGHS) Have I ever backed down from a challenge in my entire career? I've never. One thing I strive on is competition. I live to compete against the best, you know I mean? This is what I want, this is what excites me in track and field. The faster you run the more I want to compete against you, so that's it and Wayde is running good but it just came at a bad time I didn't know he was going to decide to run the 200 metres this season at the championship, you know what I mean. So, it was just one of those things." VARIOUS OF BOLT DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) USAIN BOLT, TALKING ABOUT THE TOUGH YEAR HE HAS HAD AFTER HIS FRIEND GERMAINE MASON DIED AND HE LOST ONE OF HIS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS, SAYING: "I never really thought about it like that but yes it has been tough because for me I deal with situations one step at a time you know what I mean, so I didn't really think that but it has been tough, really up and down season. It has been rough but for me I just try to look at the positives. I always try to take a negative and put it into a positive and try to work forward you know what I mean? So, for me no matter how bad the situation I've always tried to turn it around and try to make it into a positive." BOLT SITTING DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) USAIN BOLT, TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE WILL DO WHEN HE RETIRES, SAYING: "For me it's just to do nothing. I think it's just to sit down and to do nothing just to chill, relax. I mean I know that, yes that's it. I mean, two days from now I don't have to train three days from now 10 days from now two months from now I don't have to train if I don't want to. So, that's one of the biggest things." BOLT'S HAT AND EYES DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) USAIN BOLT, RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT JUSTIN GATLIN SAYING BOLT WOULD RETURN TO THE SPORT AFTER HIS RETIREMENT, SAYING: "I don't know why he said that but I think I've done all I wanted to do in the sport you know what I mean. I've accomplished all I want to accomplish and I think and when I see him when I'm going to ask him if he's not in pain you know I mean if he doesn't wake up every morning in pain then... because I do sometimes you know what I mean. When I wake up and it's just not comfortable you know what I mean; achilles, ankle, knee sometimes depends. So, because we push our bodies through so much you know I mean? So, for me I'm happy to retire now." BOLT SITTING DURING INTERVIEW
- Embargoed: 15th August 2017 20:44
- Keywords: world championships sprinting run Usain Bolt runner London sprint Jamaica running
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Topics: Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SBTMWV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Just in the unlikely case that the world of athletics did not know what they will be missing once Usain Bolt walks away in less than two weeks, the Jamaican superstar's final eve-of-race news conference rammed home the message on Tuesday (August 1).
These events have become part and parcel of every global championship and though Tuesday's version in east London lacked the dancing girl razzmatazz of his Rio welcome last year, it scored heavily on nostalgia as every aspect of his stellar career was raked over anew.
After the big show in central London, Bolt told Reuters in one of his last interviews before the IAAF world championships in London that he is ready to retire and enjoy life a bit more.
Bolt will be on the track for his 100-metre heat on Friday (August 4).
The eight-times Olympic champion will compete in the 100 metres and the 4x100-metre relay but not his favourite 200 metres. When asked if it was because he was scared of losing to Wayde van Niekerk or Andre DeGrasse, Bolt scoffed at the suggestion saying he had never backed down from a challenge in his career.
Since winning another three gold medals at the Rio Olympics last year Bolt has endured a tough time - his close friend Germaine Mason suddenly died earlier this year and he also lost one of his 2008 Olympic 4x100-metre gold after his team mate Nesta Carter tested positive for doping.
Bolt admitted he has suffered a difficult year but he's focused and confident of adding to his gold medal haul in London.
Bolt went on to say that he believes Van Niekerk will be the next athlete to beat and possibly even take over Bolt's mantle as biggest name in track and field.
While fans and the sport's administrators will miss Bolt enormously, those lamenting his departure most of all will probably be his chief sponsor Puma, the German sportswear manufacturer which has shod him and ridden his glory for a decade while the rest of the sport has largely been dominated by rivals Adidas and Nike.
Bolt's parents were on hand on Tuesday to present him with his final pair of spikes - a combination of gold to mark his career highs and the purple of his school, William Knibb Memorial, where it all started after his cricket coach suggested he try out for the track team. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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