Going sub-19 seconds for 200m is a possibility, says Bolt

By
Five years on from setting his 100m and 200m world records, Usain Bolt says breaking 19 seconds for the half-lap event remains his goal
On August 16, 2009, Usain Bolt broke the world 100m record in Berlin and four days later did the same over double the distance.
Five years on, the six-time Olympic gold medallist says breaking 19 seconds for 200m remains his goal and is an achievement that he believes is a “possibility”.
Having struggled with injury in 2014, Bolt has ended his season early and is targeting a return to training in October ahead of a year which includes the IAAF World Championships, an event at which the 28-year-old has won eight gold medals.
Your 100m record has now stood for five years. Why do you think it has remained for so long?
Usain Bolt: I don’t know really. For me, I’ve struggled with injuries over the past five years, so it’s been hard to be in the condition that I was in Berlin to really challenge that record. In London I felt good and I wasn’t far away but everything has to be in your favour – your condition, the weather, the track – and then if you execute your race perfectly from the start through the transition and then driving to the line, then you have a chance.
Thinking back to that 100m final in Berlin, what do you remember of the night?
UB: I remember the night well, the atmosphere in the stadium, walking out there and hearing the people. The crowd was brilliant. I was in really good shape. I felt good and had a confidence that I was going to do it. The track was so quick as well, I liked the blue track. I remember that I started really well that night, and ran really hard through the line. It was a great night. I was going there to prove myself to the world again, that I was the best in my discipline.
And the 200m final four days later?
UB: It was a similar experience. I ran conservatively through the heats and so had good energy for the final, which I knew I was going to need. Coming off the bend I knew I was running quickly and I was just focused on pumping my arms well and opening up my legs. I wanted to win, but win well more than run a quick time, but when I saw 19.19 on the clock after I finished I was really happy.
Looking back further still, when did you first believe you could break a world record?
UB: I can’t really remember, because it wasn’t something I thought about. I was always a 200m runner, that was my thing but my coach wanted to me to try the 100m which I did and I liked and learned I was quick. But world records were never something I thought about.
Which of the two records do you think you can most challenge?
UB: I think the 200m. I would love to take that record below the 19 second mark, as that is something I’d be really proud of. That is a goal of mine and the possibility is there. I need to stay injury free for an entire season, from pre-season training all the way through, then I know I can do it.

» Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, is Forever Faster with PUMA. Watch the new Forever Faster advert starring Bolt among a host of PUMA stars including Mario Balotelli and Rickie Fowler at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUZ5m_402MU

 SOURCE: athleticsweekly.com
Gidabuday Sports Tourism Foundation is a Non Profit Organization based in Arusha. It's main purpose is to promote, sensitize and enforce education through sports, as well as to search and develop new talents for sports from young people from marginalized communities all over the country.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular

GIDABUDAY KUHAMASISHA UJENZI WA KIJIJI CHA MICHEZO TANZANIA LENYE JINA YA MWANARIADHA MKONGWE BW.JOHN STEPHEN AKHWARI

By
Image
Kutoka kushoto ni Rogath John Stephen ,mwanariadha wa kimataifa na mtoto wa mwanariadha maarufu duniani Bw. John Stephen Akhwari ,Phaustin Baha Sulle mshindi wa medali ya fedha katika nusu marathon na Mwanaharakati wa michezo Tanzania Bw. Wilhelm Gidabuday.   ........................................ By Adam Ihucha and Gadiel Urio -Arusha.   Tanzania is set to have a national sports training Village, thanks to an initiative by one of its renowned athletic. The sports academy will be named after the John Stephen Akhwari’, the probably forgotten first Tanzanian athletic to participate in 1968 summer Olympics in Mexico. The World renowned athletic, Wilhelm Gidabuday, who happened to be a Tanzanian is behind the proposed Tsh 1 billion athletic training village, the first of its kind in the country. Mr Gidabuday, and a gifted Arusha based journalist and blogger, Gadiel Urio are currently working extra time to prepare nearly 700km marathon relay in a...
Read more

Rio Olympics: Brazil win men's volleyball gold, GB's Joyce takes boxing silver – as it happened

By
Image
Just look at his face: Bruno Mossa de Rezende (left) after Brazil claimed gold in the men’s volleyball final. Photograph: Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images Brazil did not win a lot of medals; but Brazil hosted the first ever Summer Olympic Games in South America, western countries criticized all efforts put up by South American supper power but they did not bother listening instead they did all they could and today they finished strong. Thanks Rio, thanks Brazil. We hope that some day African Continent will rewrite history to host the first ever Summer Olympic Games. www.gidabuday.blogsports.com wishes all Olympic travelers a safe flight out bounding to their home countries. See you in Tokyo Olympics 2020, god bless Olympics Games. By Wilhelm Francis Gidabuday @gidabudays       
Read more

Olympics 2016: Usain Bolt completes sprint double, Jade Jones retains taekwondo title

By
Image
Bolt's 19.78 seconds is his slowest winning time in an Olympic 200m final Usain Bolt completed a Rio 2016 sprint double by winning the 200m as Jade Jones took Great Britain's gold-medal tally to 22 with taekwondo success. Bolt's eighth Olympic title came in a time of 19.78 seconds, and the Ja maican has one final chance to win gold in Friday's 4x100m relay final. Jones, meanwhile, beat Eva Calvo Gomez to win taekwondo's -57kg division. With three days remaining, Britain are just nine medals short of the  record  65 they secured in London four years ago. They got off to a great start on day 13 as Alistair Brownlee and brother Jonny won gold and silver respectively in the triathlon, and Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark triumphed in the sailing. Elsewhere, Liam Heath and Jon Schofield  won silver  in the men's 200m kayak double, and Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge  took bronze  in badminton's men's doubles. Nicola Adams  reached the women...
Read more

Rio Olympics: Swimmer Lochte apologises for 'robbery' saga

By
Image
Ryan Lochte's claims prompted a spoof poster to be displayed at the athletics stadium US swimmer Ryan Lochte has apologised for his behaviour in Rio and "for not being more careful and candid". The gold medallist had claimed that he and a group of fellow US swimmers had been robbed at a petrol station. But CCTV footage contradicted that story, showing the men had vandalised the petrol station after partying. Mr Lochte  tweeted : "I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that I am sorry." He said he had waited to issue the statement until it was clear that his teammates would be returning to the US. Rio's Mayor, Eduardo Paes, accepted the Americans' apologies: "I confess that my only emotion towards them is pity and contempt," he said. "It's a shame that they're such weak characters, that they have such personality flaws and it's up to the American Olympic Committee to sort it o...
Read more