"Need to take the celebration to a new level" - Justin Gatlin weighs in on boosting track and field popularity among fans

Justin Gatlin voiced his opinion, suggesting ways to attract and retain track and field fans. He added that new and creative celebrations from the players can add an extra layer of excitement to the sport.

Gatlin is a multiple-time Olympic and World Championship medalist, who earned several accolades throughout his track career. He reflected on an outdoor track event held in Boston when multiple-time Olympic medalist, Noah Lyles, wished all the competitors good luck, crossed the finish line, and then displayed a playful "shooting" gesture, which was marked as a unique celebration.

In his podcast Ready Set Go with Rodney Green, Gatlin emphasized that athletes in the sport should raise the bar for celebrations while making them entertaining so that fans would be excited to see what creative gesture the athlete would execute after a win.

"I also think about the time, I think it was outdoor Boston and Noah said good luck to everybody then crossed the finish line and then he shot everybody," Gatlin said. "We as athletes in our sport need to take the celebration to a new level to where people be like, 'You know what I'm gonna tune in just to watch to see what the celebration gonna be like."

Justin Gatlin voices his opinion on comparing young athletes with veterans

Justin Gatlin of the United States during Mano Athletics Challenge in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Getty Images)

Justin Gatlin recently emphasized the importance of guiding young athletes while discouraging the practice of labeling them as the "next great one." He also asked fans to refrain from any comparison with legendary athletes such as Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix.

Gatlin suggested that young athletes should be encouraged to carve their own paths and journeys as over-pressuring them might hamper their performance, and fading off the athletes.

“You take these young athletes, you teach them what it is to be a professional athlete, the wins, the losses and please everybody stop saying and telling these young athletes, you're the next great one, you're the next Bolt, you the next Allyson or whoever else. It's the fact of they have the capabilities of doing it, they have a high percentage of doing it of being able to make their mark the same way. Let them walk their path, let them run their path.”

In his illustrious track career, Justin Gatlin, who competed with Bolt on many instances, clinched five Olympic gold medals.