Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, dominated the 100m and 200m sprints with unmatched flair, setting world records that still stand today. Yet, despite his legendary status, there was one race that even Bolt feared.
Bolt, now 38, still holds the enviable title of the world’s fastest man, with his blistering 100m time of 9.58 seconds and 200m record of 19.19 seconds, both set during the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin. His career includes eight Olympic gold medals, it would have been nine, if not for the 2008 4x100m relay team being disqualified due to a teammate’s doping violation.
But while Bolt was untouchable in the sprints, there was one event he never warmed up to, the 400 metres.
The Race Bolt Feared
Long before his name became synonymous with sprinting dominance, Bolt was a promising 400m runner as a junior. However, as his career progressed, he grew to hate the event and its grueling training demands, eventually abandoning it altogether, much to the disappointment of his coach at the time.
Speaking earlier this year on the Ready Set Go podcast, Bolt recounted a pivotal conversation with his coach, who insisted he incorporate the 400m into his training to sharpen his 200m performances. But Bolt wasn’t having it.
“I was like, ‘Coach, I’m not doing 400 metres.’ He said, ‘No, you have to do 400 metres because it’s going to help your 200 metres.’”
To settle the matter, Bolt struck a deal: one 100m race would decide his fate. If he posted a fast time, he could stick to the shorter sprints. If not, it was back to the dreaded 400m.
A Career-Defining Sprint in Greece
Bolt recalled the moment vividly. Lining up alongside fellow sprinter Wallace Spearmon in Greece, the two estimated a 10.1-second finish would be quick enough to avoid 400m duty. What unfolded was the start of Bolt’s remarkable sprinting era.
“I ran 10.3. Then it was 9.8, 9.7, you know what I mean? Everybody was running a regular 9.9. It wasn’t consistent.”
Had he clocked 10.2 seconds that day, Bolt admitted he likely would have ended up focusing on the 400m — a race he acknowledges he could have excelled at, but simply hated training for.
“The only reason is I just never wanted to run the 400 metres. I didn’t care about anything, but the fear of the 400 metres, I just didn’t want to do it.”
Bolt’s True Love
While the 100m made Bolt a global icon, it was the 200m that truly captured his heart.
“The 200 is my favourite, I love it. When I started running, I used to run 100 metres, but I was so slow out of the blocks, I would never make it through the semi-finals.”
That love, combined with his natural ability to accelerate in the latter stages of a race, helped shape the most dominant sprinting career the world has ever seen.
A Glimpse of What Could Have Been
Though Bolt never took on the 400m seriously at senior level, track enthusiasts often speculate how fast he might have been over the distance.
With his long stride and stamina over the 200m, some believe he could have challenged the 400m world record too.
But in the end, it was his aversion to the event, and one decisive 100m race in Greece, that carved out a different, history-making path.
