Justin Gatlin has paid homeage to Usain Bolt for reviving his sprinting career after getting back into the sport in 2010.
American sprinting legend Justin Gatlin has expressed his deep gratitude to his long-time Jamaican rival, Usain Bolt, crediting him for saving his career and helping him re-establish himself among the sport’s elite.
Gatlin’s journey was nearly derailed in 2006 when he was handed a four-year ban after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance testosterone.
His suspension kept him out of competitive sprinting until 2010. However, his road to redemption saw him claim his first global medal post-ban in 2012—a bronze in the Olympic 100m final, where Bolt successfully defended his title with an Olympic record of 9.64 seconds.
This race set the stage for five intense years of rivalry, culminating in Gatlin’s victory over Bolt in 2017 at the Jamaican’s farewell race.
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Yet, as Gatlin now reveals, his return to the highest level of sprinting might never have materialized had Bolt—then the sport’s most influential figure—chosen not to compete against him.
Sitting down with Bolt on his Ready Set Go podcast, co-hosted by Rodney Greene, Gatlin reflected on the crucial role Bolt played in his resurgence.
He acknowledged that Bolt’s decision to welcome the competition, rather than shun him, provided the motivation he needed to push himself to the pinnacle of the sport once again.
“The influence you had at that point in time, you could easily have had a sound bite in an interview and said, ‘I don’t want to race against him,’ and you could easily have ended my career,” Gatlin admitted.
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“It meant so much to me. From that situation, I wanted to be my best. I wanted to be like, ‘If he is going to beat me, he will have to be at his best.’”
Bolt, who famously defended Gatlin in a 2017 press conference when a journalist aggressively questioned him about his doping past, explained why he was always in favor of Gatlin’s return to the track.
“We are in this sport together. Nobody is perfect. I was excited when he came back because my coach was like, ‘This guy is going to show up, so be ready.’ So, I was excited,” Bolt stated.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist also emphasized how Gatlin’s presence in the sport elevated his own performances.
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“There was no let-off. I could not miss a day. So for me, it was one of the best times. I really enjoyed it.
“ Competing with Tyson (Gay) was two years, Asafa (Powell) was one year, (Yohan) Blake was one year, but me and Justin went at it for years. It was great to have a competitor that could keep me at the top of my game.”
Gatlin’s acknowledgment of Bolt’s sportsmanship and unwavering competitiveness highlights the deep mutual respect between the two former rivals.
Their battles on the track shaped one of the most compelling sprinting rivalries in history, and as time passes, it becomes even clearer how much they both benefited from pushing each other to their limits.
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