Usain Bolt confident his records will stand the test of time

What's the story?

Usain Bolt is quite confident that his records in the World Championships and at the Olympics will remain standing for at least a couple of decades.

"I think (they're) going to last a while," Bolt said during a promotional event in Japan on Tuesday. "I think our era with Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell and all these guys were the best eras of athletes. If it was going to be broken, it would have been broken in this era, so I think I have at least 15 to 20 more years."

In case you didn't know

Jamaican track and field legend Usain Bolt retired earlier this year but he has left a crater-like impact on every ardent sports fan. When he burst onto the scene in 2008, he took everyone by storm.

'Lightning Bolt' as he is fondly called, had even set numerous records, including the fastest ever 100m time of 9.58 seconds. Unfortunately, the 6'5" Jamaican did not quite get the swansong that he wanted as he was beaten to the line by American sprinters Justin Gatlin and Christian Coleman in his last 100m final.

The heart of the matter

Gatlin was often considered as Bolt's biggest rival and he said that he was confident that Bolt will not stay away for long, but the big Jamaican was quick to refute such a claim. On being asked about the future of Jamaican athletics, he said that there isn't anyone at the moment who really caught his attention.

He believed that the most important thing for an athlete to remember is their personality because records and statistics come and go but an athlete who can back it up with a likable personality will be etched in people's memories forever.

What next?

Usain Bolt has expressed interest in trying his foot at soccer and maybe even settling down. As a Manchester United fan, he said that he always wanted to play football and it is something that his team working on but whether he will achieve his childhood dream is up in the air.

Sportskeeda's take

Usain Bolt is one of a kind, and while it was disappointing to see him falter in his farewell race, we can be assured that he ran with the best of his ability. Will he finally dabble into the world of football? Only time will tell!