Justin Gatlin: Why Athletes Should Reveal Retirement Plans Early

by Beryl Oyoo
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Five-time Olympic medalist Justin Gatlin, has emphasized the need of proper timing in athlete retirement announcement.

Gatlin, alongside his close friend Rodney Green, recently shared why athletes should let fans in on their retirement plans ahead of time.

Speaking on the Ready Set Go podcast with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the duo opened up about the unspoken bond between athletes and their supporters. Rodney Green dropped a piece of advice that, according to him, every athlete should take seriously.

“When it’s your year to possibly be done, the fans would appreciate if you announced it,” Green said.

Green recalled conversations with fans during Gatlin’s final season, revealing how supporters abroad would spend their last bit of money to attend meets, hoping to see Gatlin before his retirement. Gatlin’s own last professional 100m race came at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on September 18, 2021, where he finished third in 10.03 seconds. That meet marked a bittersweet farewell, though Gatlin has since teased a potential comeback on the podcast.

Why Announcing Matters

Using the example of Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Green emphasized the emotional payoff for both athlete and fan. Fraser-Pryce had declared earlier this year that 2025 would be her final season, giving her supporters time to savor her remaining races.

At a Nike-hosted reception in Kingston on June 23, 2025, she confirmed that the Jamaican National Championships would be her last meet on home soil. When she stepped onto the track on June 27, 2025, the National Stadium was packed with supporters, including sprint legend Usain Bolt, to bid farewell. Fraser-Pryce didn’t disappoint, clocking 10.91 seconds in an emotional final run before a roaring crowd.

“It’s like seeing your favorite performer, like Beyoncé,” Green noted.

“You spend all your money to go see that person because that’s what you enjoy, to take your family to see it.”

Michael Johnson Set the Example Years Ago

This isn’t a new trend either. Back in 2001, American sprinting legend Michael Johnson did it right. On January 16, 2001, Johnson announced at a London press conference that the upcoming season would be his last, foregoing even the World Championships. Fans flocked to his races, eager to witness history before it was gone.

Michael Johnson celebrates after track record 200m Olympics 1996

At the Penn Relays in April 2001, Johnson anchored the USA 4×400m relay before a record-breaking crowd, then did a slow, emotional lap around the track to thank fans. Later that year, at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, nearly 30,000 spectators gave him a standing ovation as he anchored his final winning relay.

Gatlin and Green believe today’s athletes should take notes. They even shared a personal moment Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone experienced when a young fan skipped prom to watch her race at a Grand Slam meet, a gesture that moved both athlete and supporter.

“Win or lose, your fans already love you,” Gatlin said.

“They just want to be there with you.”

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