Jamaica track and field icon, Usain Bolt, has hailed American sprinter Justin Gatlin for keeping him sharp throughout his career.
Bolt, who remains the world record holder over both the 100 and 200 metres, retired from the sport in 2017. His rivalry with the American, though statistically, a tad one-sided at times, was one of the most abiding and, at times, fiercest in the sport of track and field, particularly when the two-faced the starter at major games.
On the biggest stage, it was Gatlin who triumphed in the first two encounters. Bolt failed to advance past the first round at the 2004 Olympics and it was Gatlin who went on to claim the 200m title, adding to 100m crown, which was won prior.
One year later, Gatlin left the Jamaican far behind in the 200m final to take the sprint double at the 2005 World Championship in Helsinki. The two did not face off at the 2007 World Championship as Gatlin was banned from the sport for four years after testing positive for a banned substance in 2006. On that occasion, Bolt finished second to another American Tyson Gay.
From 2008, however, it was Bolt who became the premier force in world sprinting and outside of the rare blip in Osaka 2011, where he false-started in the 100m, when undefeated at major games for almost 9 years. Gatlin returned to the sport in 2010 but found it impossible to get the better of the Jamaican. He was eliminated at the semi-final stage of the 2011 World Championships, placed third at 2012 Olympics, was second at the 2013 World Championships. Gatlin again finished runner-up to Bolt in both the 100m and 200m at the 2015 World Championships and again took silver at Rio Olympics in 2016.
The American did, however, manage to turn the tables on Bolt at the 2017 World Championships where he claimed gold, with the Jamaican finishing in third place in the final race before he retired.
“Justin Gatlin played a very important role in keeping me motivated because he kept me on my toes, he kept me working out,” Bolt explained during Puma's Only See Great campaign.
“He kept me knowing that every season he’s going to be there, if I want to be the best I have to be ready and be prepared to beat him," he added.
Overall, the Jamaican leads the head-to-head match-up between the athletes with a 9-2 advantage, but he admits with Gatlin and others around he always had to look over his shoulder.
"The rivalries were strong and for me Tyson and Justin and Asafa and Blake, they really pushed me through my career to stay on top of my game at all times to be the best me."
Olympic champion Hansle Parchment dedicates World Champs silver to long-time coach Fitz Coleman: "He deserves this as much as I do"
In yet another example of why Hansle Parchment continues to be a fan favourite who continues to perform at the highest level, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion has dedicated the silver medal he won at the 2023 World Athletics Championships to his long-time coach Fitz Coleman.
Parchment, 33, who won his first Diamond League trophy last month in a lifetime best and world-leading 12.93s run, was the runner-up to the now three-time world champion Grant Holloway of the USA, in Budapest in August. On Monday, he shared on social media that that silver medal holds special meaning.
“This year’s world championship in Budapest was special as I received a second medal for my coach,” he said. “Mr. Fitz Coleman has been my coach for 14 years and counting. He has been a friend and a mentor. He’s been a guiding force in all my achievements and I want to send a heartfelt thanks as he deserves this medal as much as I do.”
Parchment will attempt to defending his Olympic title in Paris next summer. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Parchment stunned the world by upstaging Holloway, the gold medal favorite, winning his first Olympic title in 13.04.
On This Day in 2019: Dina Asher-Smith wins gold at World Athletics Championships
Dina Asher-Smith became the first British female to win a world sprint title when she took gold in the 200 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha on this day in 2019.
Asher-Smith, then 23, set a British record with a time of 21.88 seconds that was enough to beat American Brittany Brown, upgrading the silver she had taken in the 100m final earlier in the meeting.
“I know I was tired and woke up today knowing this was the last individual chance and this was the moment I did all my work for,” Asher-Smith said after the race.
“This is what we knew we could achieve if the season went well, and the tiredness just disappeared when I needed it to.
“It means so much. There’s so many British fans here. I know lots of Brits live in Doha but lots have travelled and for my mum to be here, my dad, John and his wife and my physios… it means so much.”
Asher-Smith had been elevated to favourite in the race after a number of rivals pulled out of the event, with then Olympic champion Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Dafne Schippers all missing.
Asher-Smith’s performances in Doha boosted hopes that she could contend for a medal at the Tokyo Olympics as she had broken her own British record in the 100m final.
After the postponement of the Games by 12 months amid the coronavirus pandemic, Asher-Smith was selected to race in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
However, she failed to get through qualifying in the 100m and later revealed she had suffered a hamstring injury, forcing her to pull out of the 200m.
Nevertheless, Asher-Smith was able to compete in the 4x100m relay and helped Great Britain win bronze.
Shericka Jackson on the verge of becoming the greatest women combined sprinter of all time
Two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson is now the second-best female combined sprinter of all time and could soon to become the greatest of all time if she runs faster in the 100m, 200m or 400m in the coming season.
As at the end of the 2022/2023 season when she won her second 200m world title in championship record time of 21.41 at the World Championships, Jackson now boasts personal best time of 10.65 in the 200m, 21.41 in the 200m and 49.47 in the 400m.
The super-talented Jamaican, who is also the only athlete to win global medals in all three events, has amassed ranking points of 1277 for her lifetime best of 10.65 in the 100m, 1301 for her national record time of 21.41 in the 200m and 1227 for her personal best 49.47 in the 400m for a tally of 3805 points.
Only one woman has more points and that is Germany’s Marita Koch, who ran times of 10.83 for the 100m, 21.71 for the 200m and a remarkable 47.60, the world record, for the 400m for a total of 3809 points.
It was not that long ago that Jackson was further down the list behind the likes of Florence Griffith-Joyner (3), Marion Jones (4), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (5), Allyson Felix (6), Gwen Torrence (7) and Marie Jose Perec, (8) all of whom are ranked among the top 10 best combined sprinters in history.
She is the highest-ranked Jamaican with the iconic Merlene Ottey (10.74/21.64/51.12) ranked 13th, Grace Jackson (11.08/21.72/49.57) ranked 16th and Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.76/21.74/52.24) ranked 22nd.
In fact, in 2021, Jackson was 21st in the list before her outstanding performances over the last three seasons saw her rocket up the list to the number two slot. In 2021, Jackson has lifetimes bests of 10.76/21.81/49.47 for the 100m, 200m and 400m, respectively.
Breaking the world record of 21.34 in the 200m, a goal that is well within her reach, dipping under 10.60 for the 100m or running 48 seconds over the 400m and she will take her rightful place of Greatest Of All Time among women combined sprinters.
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