I’m ready!
London , England — Sprint legend Usain Bolt has warned all title aspirants that he was still the man to beat as he prepares to defend his 100m crown and bring his sparkling career to a perfect end in the final at the IAAF World Championships on Saturday.
The 30-year-old, who was the star attraction at the Puma press conference at the The Brewery in London yesterday, declared that based on his sub-10secs clocking in Monaco recently, he was ready and raring to go.
“The last time I ran 9.95, it shows that I am going in the right direction. So after these two rounds leading up to 100m finals, which always help me, so to me I am going forward. So I am not worried,” revealed Bolt.
“It is a championship, it is a final, so it’s all about who can keep their nerves and who is ready to be challenged. I have been here many of times, and I am the one ready. So it’s go time, so I am good,” he added.
Bolt, who will be retiring at the end of this London Championships, said he has been labelled an underdog yet again because of his sluggish start to the season, but will prove the doubters wrong.
“For some reason I am the underdog again, because that is what I keep reading, what my team keeps telling me, so I have got to prove myself once more,” said Bolt with a wry smile.
“That’s what you guys have been writing. I didn’t say it, you guys said it,” he joked.
Asked if he would delay his retirement plans if he loses the 100m final on Saturday, Bolt laughed.
“A Jamaican is going to ask me that question. No, it’s not going to happen. It won’t happen, don’t worry,” he emphasised.
The men’s 100m blue riband event gets going on Friday with the final set for Saturday, August 5. Bolt will be hunting his fourth World Championships title to add to his three Olympic crowns.
The world record holder for both the 100m and 200m, with 9.58 and 19.19 seconds, respectively, has no doubts that he’s still the fastest man alive. “Yep, without a doubt,” was his response to the question.
And he was also confident that he was in good condition to add to his golden haul of medals. “Oh, come on,” said Bolt, as he rocked back on his seat. “You guys know if I show up at a championships, if I am here, you know I am fully confident and ready to go.
“As long as I show up at the Championships, my coach is confident, and if my coach is happy, I am confident in my ability, because I know when I go out there I am ready to go. Fully confident, 100 per cent,” he noted.