"I gotta keep the motherf**ker behind me somehow" - Justin Gatlin recalls his strategy for racing against Usain Bolt

Retired American Olympian Justin Gatlin recently shared his strategy for the races against track and field legend Usain Bolt. The two gave each other a run for their money whenever they locked horns on the track.

Bolt and Gatlin are considered two of the most successful sprinters with significant accolades under their belts. The Jamaican icon has amassed eight Olympic golds, 11 world titles, and three Diamond League final wins. In contrast, Gatlin boasts five Olympic medals, four World Championship titles, and three Diamond League trophies. Additionally, Bolt's world records of 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds in 100m and 200m are yet to be broken. On the other hand, Gatlin's best 100m finish of 9.74 seconds makes him the fifth-fastest runner in the world and second fastest for the United States.

Furthermore, Gatlin is among the two American sprinters who have defeated Usain Bolt more than once in their careers. The 42-year-old first beat the Jamaican legend at the 2013 Golden Gala meet, and his second victory came at the 2017 World Championships, where he won the 100m title with a time of 9.92 seconds.

In his recent conversation with the retired Bahamian runner Rodney Green, Justin Gatlin was asked about his perspective when he faced Bolt on the track. The Brooklyn, New York native replied that he tried to keep him behind during the races. He also applauded the 38-year-old for his dominance and remarkable self-awareness.

"I was thinking like I gotta keep this motherf**ker behind me somehow. You get to a point where if you racing at a high level the margin of error is so small now bro like you can't float a step, you can't like have a short drive phase, you can't come up and have your hips sitting while you try to run," he said (via a post on his Instagram handle).

"You gotta be damn near perfect against seven to eight other guys. You gotta be damn near perfect after you ran three races back to back for the last two weeks... you sleep deprived. There's always a high level of stress. It's the fact of on that day, whoever can get it done the best and Bolt was that dude. He knew his race pattern, he knew no one can beat him," Gatlin added.

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"He's one of the best I have faced" - Usain Bolt on Justin Gatlin

Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin at the IAAF World Athletics Championships (Image via Getty)

When Justin Gatlin defeated Usain Bolt at the World Championships in 2017, which was also Bolt’s last professional event, the crowd booed Gatlin during the medal ceremony. However, Bolt backed the American, praised his talent, and recognized him as one of the best competitors he ever faced.

"I always respected him as a competitor. He's one of the best I have faced. For me he deserves to be here, he's done his time and he's worked hard to get back to being one of the best athletes. Bolt added, He's run fast times, he's back and he's doing great. I look at him like any other athlete, as a competitor," he said (via The Guardian).

Gatlin also acknowledged Usain Bolt for being so dominant over the years and referred to him as a legend of the sport.