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Trinidad and Tobago’s Ato Boldon, former world champion sprinter and a former senator, talks during the Doha Goals Forum.
by Armstrong Vas
Doha: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt - widely regarded as the fastest person ever - has ‘rewritten the sprinting rules’ but there is always a chance that his records will be broken in the coming years, says four-time Olympic medal winner, Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago.
The 40-year-old one of the 15 fastest men in history ran 9.86 in the straight and won four Olympic medals, but could not lay hands on the gold medal.
“There are no limits to human performance. Usain Bolt has rewritten the sprinting rules but you cannot tell what will happen in ten or 15 years time.
“Bolt has shown what is possible and close to him is Yohan Blake, for his age he has been faster than Bolt,” he added.
Boldon, who is in Doha for the Doha Goals, said when Michael Johnson broke the 200 metres record no one thought it will be broken.
“It takes me to the race where I competed against Johnson, he ran the 200 meters in 19.32 in Atlanta 1996 and everyone said that the record will not be broken in the next 50 years. It did not last even 15 years,” said Bolton.
He has shown what is possible and near it is Yohan Blake, at his age has been faster than Bolt.
Bolt hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records and along with his team-mates, also holds the world record in the 4 x 100 metres relay.
Boldon, who is now a television commentator on ESPN and NBC said mixed races might happen in the near future taking into account TV viewership into account.
“The future of athletics, I believe, will be to include mixed races. In my time there was talk of facing a man against a woman, but that did not happen. But with the rapid strisdes in tecnhology I’m talking about men and women competing against each other. People are demanding that we use some technology in broadcasting and connect the wires to the athletes.”
Boldon said the Doha Goals Forum is the best time of his life.
“I regret that they didn’t invite me last year. It is fantastic. Sport is all about leaving a legacy. Even people like Nelson Mandela, even though he was a prisoner, felt that sport was a tool to unite a country and people.” The Peninsula
