Usain Bolt’s press conference at the Tokyo 25 World Championships

On Thursday, September 11th, Puma organised a Pre-championships press conference that featured their legendary runner, Usain Bolt, and current top athletes, including Mondo Duplantis, Julien Alfred, and Amanal Petros. 

Bolt is an 8-time Olympic and 11-time world champion as well as the reigning men’s 100m and 200m world record holder. He had something to say regarding his two world records, attending the World Championships as a spectator and what he thinks about Jamaica’s team in Tokyo 25. He also spoke about some runner being as crazy as another runner who lived in an era when talking trash was normal to everybody.

Usain Bolt, on his 100m world record of 9.58 seconds 

Usain Bolt: It was never something that I thought about or trained towards. When I started doing the 100m in 2008 I was just focusing on winning an Olympic gold medal. It was a lot of work taking on two events (after just doing the 200m) so I just wanted to be the best that I could be at 100m. It was never about breaking the world record.

On whether his record is likely to be broken

Usain Bolt: No, I’m not worried about it, not worried at all. I think in time, with new spikes and new technology, there will be top guys who come up who will do well and may be able to break it. You have to have the talent as well as the technology.” 

On how he’ll feel watching the world championships live in Tokyo 25

Usain Bolt: I’m excited to be at my first world championships to watch, excited to see the Jamaican team compete, to see the vibe. I’ve never seen it from this angle but it’s something I’m looking forward to. It’ll be more stressful for me watching my fellow Jamaicans run than it was competing. I get so nervous watching them. When I was on the track I was never nervous. 

On the current crop of Jamaican sprinters 

Usain Bolt: They have shown this season that they are doing extremely well, so I am excited to see their performances here. Hopefully, I’ll be able to present a gold medal to one of them. We do have a very good chance here. There is no reason they shouldn’t go one-two because they are the fastest guys in the world this year and they are competing well. I am very confident they can get it done.

On fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who’s competing at her ninth world championships in Tokyo 25 

Usain Bolt: When I see Shelly-Ann still running as fast as ever with new spikes I do think, if I’d known that spikes would have got to that level maybe I would have continued a bit longer. It would have been great to compete in the new spikes and see how fast I could be. Shelly has been so great. We came up together and have seen how much she’s been great for sport in general – her longevity shows that. I couldn’t have done it. I’m happy to see her here enjoying herself and making her country proud.

On how he would have handled current world and Olympic champion Noah LYLES (USA), who claims he’s going to beat the Jamaicans 

Usain Bolt: I think Noah’s as crazy to think that as Justin (GATLIN, USA) was (in my day). For me it’s just talk. Me and Gatlin pushed back and forth all the time, but he came up in the era when trash talking was normal to everybody. But I never listened to anyone anyway. I knew if I was prepared and ready he could say whatever he wanted. It would never be a problem.