"Justin Gatlin is a true competitor”- Usain Bolt gives an unfiltered response as he names his 'greatest rival'

In a recent podcast appearance, Usain Bolt opened up about Justin Gatlin as his greatest rival. The former Jamaican track athlete is facing a tough time as he is a victim of financial fraud.

Although Bolt and Gatlin began their careers in the early 2000s, their rivalry truly started around 2010. They squared off against each other at the 2004 Olympics, where the American emerged victorious by winning gold in the 100m while Bolt pulled out due to injuries. This marked the start of their rivalry, with them facing each other in several other competitions.

Bolt recently appeared in a podcast called 'The Fix,' where he spoke about several aspects of his life, including his rivalry with Justin Gatlin. When the host asked him about his greatest rival during his track career, the Jamaican responded: (1:04.00 onwards):

"For me, Justin, because I think we competed over a longer span, for a while. For a span, now, like 5 years. With everybody, it was like two years, one year. So, that was the thing. He is a master, so I give that off to Justin, and Justin Gatlin is a true competitor. He's somebody that you have to respect when it comes to competing and working. And the sport needs to evolve, it has to."

After the 2004 Olympics, Gatlin and Bolt met each other for the first time during the 2005 World Championships. The American again clinched a gold medal while the Jamaican suffered another injury and limped off the finish line. However, after this, Gatlin tested positive for a prohibited substance and made his comeback in 2010.

From here, both of them had terrific showdowns vying for the gold medal at major championships.

Usain Bolt opened up about an incident with Justin Gatlin during their first race

In 2024, Usain Bolt appeared in a conversation with the 'High Performance' podcast, reflecting on an incident in his first race with Justin Gatlin. The Jamaican recalled the latter's actions before racing, where he walked back and forth on the race, saying that he found it funny.

"It's always fun for me. I enjoy watching Justin. It's fun for me to see him in his element because he used to do this thing where he walks back and forth like a crazy person...and he's serious and I always find it so funny and amusing," said Usain Bolt.

Recalling an incident, he added:

"Just before my time these guys were always serious and that was it they tried to throw off each other. I remember the first time I competed with Justin he spit across my lane the first time I met him."

Usain Bolt has won eight Olympic gold medals in his career, including three in the 100m dash, three in the 200m dash, and two in the 4x100m relay event.