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SPORTS Saturday 3 december 2016
Bolt says 200-meter world record now likely beyond him

JOHN LEICESTER compete and haven’t had
AP Sports Writer the chance.”
MONACO (AP) — The There are some things he is
world’s fastest man is slow- certain he won’t be doing:
ing down. — He ruled out playing
Usain Bolt again said he American football, saying
doesn’t plan to run the he doesn’t want to get hit.
200 meters in his final sea- — He also ruled out switch-
son, realizing that his world ing to bobsled, like Ameri-
record of 19.19 seconds is can hurdler Lolo Jones, say-
now likely beyond him. ing “anybody who knows
Speaking Friday in Mona- me knows I don’t do well
co before picking up the with cold.”
IAAF’s male athlete of the — And there is zero chance
year award for a sixth time, that he will challenge
the 30-year-old Bolt said he 800-meter Olympic cham-
thought he could dip un- pion David Rudisha to a
der the 19-second barrier race over 400 meters.
at the Olympics in Rio de “That won’t happen,” Bolt
Janeiro. But coming off the said. “Not even for charity.”
bend in the final, he felt his Bolt said his immediate
legs didn’t have a record- plans in retirement are
beating performance in “pretty much to do noth-
them. ing.” Prince Albert II of Monaco, left, shakes hands with Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, after he was
“After last season, I kind of “No more training. I don’t awarded the “2016 Athlete of the Year Award”, during the 2016 World Athletics Gala Awards,
figured out that no mat- have to go to the track un- Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, in Monaco.
ter how hard I work at this less I want to,” he said. Associated Press
point, it probably is going to Bolt pinpointed the world
be hard to get the 200-me- championships in 2007 as a
ter world record,” Bolt said. turning point in his career.
“And it’s a lot more work After placing second be-
and for me, coming to hind Tyson Gay in the 200,
the end of my career, I’m Bolt’s coach told him to get
not trying to do too much serious.
work.” “’You’re slacking off in the
He also didn’t sound opti- gym. If you want to win you
mistic about breaking his have to get stronger,’” Bolt
100-meter record of 9.58, said he was told. “From
either. then on, I just took the step
“If I can go through my and worked.”
season — which I doubt — The next year, he won the
without any injuries, then 100, 200 and 4x100 relay at
anything is possible,” he the Beijing Olympics. He re-
said. peated those feats in Lon-
Bolt ruled out a return for don and Rio.
the 2020 Tokyo Games. The Bolt thinks he could have
nine-time Olympic champi- done even better had he
on said his coach has told knuckled down earlier.
him, “I was asked the question
“’Do not retire and come earlier what would I have
back to the sport, don’t told my 14-year-old self,
ever do that.’ ... So you and I thought it would be
have got to make sure you definitely to get serious
are sure.” quicker,” Bolt said.
“Not to brag or anything, “I think when I was transi-
but a lot of people at 30 tioning to being a profes-
haven’t accomplished sional I was relying more on
what I’ve accomplished, my talent than actually on
so, for me, I think I’ve done the work I was doing.”
all I wanted to,” Bolt said. Although he stressed that
He made it clear that his it wasn’t a regret, Bolt said
last season would be more that breaking the 19-sec-
of a farewell tour than a fi- ond barrier in the 200 was
nal drive for more records. probably his only unreal-
He’s targeting a few races ized running ambition.
in his favorite places: he “It was something that was
mentioned Ostrava, Laus- possible, could be possible,
anne and Paris. and I missed out on,” he
“This season is pretty much said.
mainly for the fans,” Bolt Coming off the bend in the
said. “A lot of people al- 200 in Rio, he realized it was
ways wanted to see me beyond him.q