Usain Bolt’s name is synonymous with speed, dominance, and Olympic greatness. The Jamaican sprint legend blazed a trail in athletics, earning eight Olympic gold medals across a glittering career. But once upon a time, he had nine.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bolt and his Jamaican teammates, Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell, and Michael Frater, stormed to gold in the men’s 4x100m relay. It was a moment of national pride and personal glory, especially for Bolt, who had already bagged two individual golds and set world records.
However, nearly a decade later in 2017, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revealed that Nesta Carter’s re-tested sample from those Games came back positive for methylhexaneamine, a banned stimulant. As per the anti-doping rules, the entire relay team was stripped of their gold medals.
Carter had unknowingly cast a shadow over one of Usain Bolt’s proudest Olympic moments.
Appeals, Bans, and Retirement
Carter sought to overturn the IOC’s decision, appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). But his efforts proved unsuccessful, and he was handed a three-month suspension.
In a twist of fate, Carter would later violate anti-doping regulations a second time. In 2021, he tested positive for Clomiphene, a banned substance often used for performance enhancement. This led to a four-year ban, effectively ending his sprinting career. In August that year, at 35, Carter officially announced his retirement from athletics.
“I am no longer able to give my best as an athlete to the sport that I know and love,” he shared in a heartfelt statement As reported by Reuters.
Today, Nesta Carter may no longer be sprinting down the track, but he’s still making a name for himself off it. The former sprinter runs a high-end property named Carter’s Nest Villa in Kingston, Jamaica, which he lists on Airbnb.
The three-bedroom villa, complete with premium amenities, is available for between $190 and $255 a night. Guests might even bump into the former Olympian himself.
Bolt’s Reaction
Despite the incident, Usain Bolt has maintained a graceful and philosophical stance. Speaking to CNN in 2017, he expressed empathy rather than anger toward his former teammate.
“I haven’t spoken to him,” Bolt admitted.
“But I have no hard feelings. It’s just one of those things that happens in life.”
He acknowledged the complexity of the situation, choosing not to speculate on whether Carter’s actions were intentional or accidental.
When asked whether he feared losing more relay medals, Bolt shrugged off the concern.
“I’m not worried about that. If I lose all of my relay Gold medals, for me I did what I had to do with my personal goals and that’s what counts.”
His legendary ‘triple-triple’ achievement, three golds in three consecutive Olympic Games, had already been completed by the time the 2008 relay medal was stripped. And for Usain Bolt, that was more than enough.
“It kind of made me feel good,” he reflected.
“Maybe if it had come before [Rio 2016], maybe it would have taken a little bit away from me and I would have thought about it.”
While the incident remains a blemish on the record of Jamaican athletics, Usain Bolt’s reputation and legacy remain intact.
