Usain Bolt has confirmed he plans to retire from athletics after the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
The fastest man in history over both 100 and 200 metres, who has won six Olympic golds and eight World Championship golds, intends to bow out in more glory.
He said at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, ahead of Friday’s Diamond League meeting, he was determined to keep performing at the highest level for another three years.
The 27-year-old was asked if he had any retirement plans in mind, and said: “So far it’s after the Olympics in Rio. If I’m in great shape and I go there and do what I have to do, I think it would be a good time to retire on top and having dominated for so long.”
Bolt has long considered the Rio de Janeiro Games the likely stop point in his track career, but earlier in this season he was struggling to find the motivation to go out and conquer the world of sprinting again.
“I couldn’t find that goal, that drive to get going again,” he said. “I sat down and thought to myself: what do I really want? And what can I do in this sport some more? I’ve made up my mind that if I want to be among the greats of Ali, Pele and all these guys I have to continue dominating until I retire.
“I’m really focused on getting every season correct, trying not to get injured, and just continue dominating so at the end of my career people will put me among the greats.”
Bolt also laughed off Ben Johnson’s suggestion from last week that the disgraced Canadian could have beaten him, had they been running at the same time.
“Everybody says everything to get into the media and stir up a little bit, but he could never beat me,” Bolt said. “That’s just him trying to get some attention. I don’t see Ben Johnson beating me at any time.”
