Usain Bolt didn’t hesitate when asked who’d win 800m race between him and Mo Farah in their prime

 

Usain Bolt didn’t hesitate when asked who’d win 800m race between him and Mo Farah in their prime

Usain Bolt was once asked whether he could compete in an 800m race against Mo Farah.

 

Bolt, 38, is often regarded as the most successful sprinter of all time, having won eight Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championship golds during what was a truly illustrious career.

 

Meanwhile, Team GB legend Farah also enjoyed a stellar career as he excelled in long-distance events, particularly the 5,000m and the 10,000m.

 

 

 

Farah won four Olympic golds and also collected six golds in the World Championships.

 

Back in 2019, during an interview with SI, Bolt was quizzed on a race between him and Farah.

 

The conversation started with Bolt being asked the time it might take him to run one mile.

 

 

 

He replied: “I don’t know. I really don’t want to know. For me, the mile is no joke. For years, I almost had that run with Mo Farah because people wanted to see it. Whether it was an 800 or 600, it was difficult but I could never do a mile.”

 

Bolt was then asked: “Everyone has a price tag. What would your price tag have been for that showdown?”

 

In response, the Jamaican said: “I would’ve had to have been in good shape. If I was in good shape, I probably have tried the 600. I wouldn’t have gone to 800. Because we used to run a few 600s in training.”

 

Mo Farah and Usain Bolt at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Image: Getty

Mo Farah and Usain Bolt at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Image: Getty

 

 

Back in 2013, as reported by the BBC, the Head of Exercise & Sport Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, Professor Neil Fowler spoke about the outcome of a potential race between Bolt and Farah.

 

He said: “Mo Farah’s really smart, he knows that he will win over 600 metres. At that distance it’s an aerobic event… top speed won’t matter.

 

“Sprinting is really simple as an activity. You want to get up to maximum speed as quickly as you can and then run as fast as you can through the line.”

 

Fowler added: “Long distance athletes are more interested in their ability to keep going. They’ve got to be able to move fast but they’ve got to be able to keep going.

 

 

 

“Every day of the week Mo Farah would win that race over 600m. At 400m, Bolt will be 20m in front. By 600m he’ll be gasping, he’ll be bent on his knees and spent.”