Usain Bolt lived up to his relaxed reputation on the Ready Set Go podcast
Usain Bolt remained his usual laid-back self after finally receiving an overdue apology from longtime rival Justin Gatlin. The iconic Jamaican sprinter, an eight-time Olympic gold medalist who claimed three consecutive 100m titles, shared back in October that Gatlin had once spat across his lane before a 2011 race – an apparent attempt to rattle him.
It was their first-ever head-to-head clash, and while Bolt insists he wasn’t bothered at the time, the moment stayed with him. During an appearance on the Ready Set Go podcast, hosted by Gatlin and former Olympian Rodney Green, Bolt decided to revisit the infamous incident. This led to a sincere apology from Gatlin – though Bolt made it clear he never needed one.
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“You know when you warm up and you’re running out of your blocks? I was walking back and he was walking towards me, and he kind of spat across the lane in front of me,” Bolt, now 38, recalled with a grin. “I laughed, because I knew what he was trying to do, but for me, it doesn’t matter.
“I understood why. Remember, Justin was in the era of Maurice Green and all these guys. That’s what he is used to. That’s the mentality… For me, it was funny. Because I understood in track and field how it is. I wasn’t worried… I looked up and I smiled because I understood he was just trying to intimidate me, but I wasn’t worried.”
Gatlin denied any deliberate disrespect but still took the opportunity to make amends. “I apologise,” the American said, drawing laughter from Bolt. “The thing is, for me, I’m so focused. I don’t even think in that moment I was thinking about doing those little petty trickery things, you know what I’m saying? I’m thinking, I got allergies.
Justin Gatlin was all too happy to apologis to Bolt (Image: Gatlin on the Ready Set Go podcast)
“I’m constantly trying to get my mouth clear so I can go run with my sinuses. It was never an ‘F Usain Bolt’ sort of thing. It was the fact I think I was just trying to focus on getting ready for my race. But I can say now that I helped contribute to the greatness [of Bolt],” he joked.
“When I saw it in the documentary, everybody always came back to me and said, how dare you do that to him, I’m like bro, I didn’t do anything,” he added, to which Bolt responded with a smile: “Relax people, relax.”
A five-time Olympic medalist, Gatlin won 100m gold at the 2004 Athens Games before serving a four-year doping suspension in 2006 – watching from the sidelines as Bolt took over at Beijing 2008. Their Olympic rivalry officially began in London 2012, where Bolt defended his title and Gatlin settled for bronze.
Bolt and Gatlin are two of the most successful sprinters of all time
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Four years later in Rio, Bolt triumphed once more, while Gatlin claimed silver. Despite the frosty start to their relationship, the duo, who will be remembered as two of the sport’s greatest sprinters, have always been bound by mutual respect.
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“Let me say something, bro,” Bolt told Gatlin. “I say this many times; if you see my interviews, I always say this: you’re one of the greatest people I have ever competed with. My coach told me to listen, one guy is going to show up, and it’s going to be Justin. That’s the respect my coach has for you.”
After securing bronze at the 2017 World Championships in his final 100m race – where Gatlin took gold – Bolt called time on his legendary career. However, he teased a possible return for a special All-Star event alongside other retired athletes, including his old rival.
“I’m ready, just for the fun of it. I’m ready, let’s go. It’ll be fun,” Bolt told Green and Gatlin. When asked if he’d be willing to renew his rivalry, he quickly shut it down: “Nah man, Justin, him? He’s in too good of a shape,” he said. “Bro I see him doing starts all the time. I asked him, I text him, ‘Bro, why are you in such good shape?’”
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