Retired sprint legend Usain Bolt made a bold claim about modern running technology during a PUMA press conference in Tokyo on Thursday (11 Sept). The Jamaican superstar said he could have run the 100 meters in 9.42 seconds if he had access to today’s carbon-fiber “super-spikes.”
The World Championships begin this weekend, marking Bolt’s first appearance at a major global track event since he retired in 2017. He attended the press conference alongside current PUMA athletes Julien Alfred and Armand Duplantis.
Bolt’s statement came when reporters asked about the impact of new spike technology on sprint performance. The advanced carbon-fiber shoes have become standard equipment for elite sprinters in recent years.
The 39-year-old holds the current 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, which he set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. Despite his confidence about what modern spikes could have done for his times, Bolt doesn’t expect his record to fall anytime soon.
However, he remains hopeful that Jamaica will reclaim the men’s 100m world title on Sunday (14 Sept). Bolt pointed to sprinters Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville as the country’s best chances for gold.
Jamaica hasn’t won the men’s 100m at the World Championships since Bolt’s victory ten years ago. The six-time individual Olympic champion was the last Jamaican to capture the title.
Bolt’s attendance at the medal ceremony will likely depend on which athletes win medals. His presence in Tokyo represents a return to the sport’s biggest stage after stepping away following the 2017 World Championships in London.
The upcoming World Championships will test whether Jamaica can end its decade-long drought in the men’s 100m. With Thompson and Seville leading the charge, Bolt believes his home country has strong medal chances.
PUMA continues to sponsor several top athletes in track and field. The company’s press conference highlighted both its current stars and its connection to one of the sport’s greatest champions.
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