"Saved our relay team"- Justin Gatlin all praise for Jeff Demps as he weighs in on being an Olympic medalist and NFL Player

Justin Gatlin made his feelings known about Jeff Demps, who ran track and played football for the Florida Gators. Gtalin also noted how the latter was instrumental to the US men's 4x100m relay team's strong finish at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Gatlin retired in 2022 and shifted his focus to hosting the 'Ready Set Go' podcast, opining on athletes and track events. In a recent Instagram story, he expressed his feelings about a former US track and field athlete, Jeff Demps, who also played football for the Florida Gators football team.

"@jeffdemps7 2012 Olympic silver medalist American record holder/saved our relay team at the last time! Plus played with the @patrios," he captioned.

Justin Gatlin shouts out to Jeff Demps; Instagram - @justingatlin

Gatlin added Demps' name to the list of track athletes who received a shout-out from the Olympics' Instagram handle for boasting equally decorated NFL careers.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Demps served as a replacement for Mike Rogers in the 4x100m relay team after the latter withdrew, citing a stress fracture in his left foot. Demps' contribution in the preliminary second heat helped break the American record.

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Justin Gatlin shared his opinion about comparing young athletes to legends

Gatlin at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials - Day 3 - (Source: Getty)

Justin Gatlin referred to legends like Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix and expressed concern over young athletes getting compared to them in recent days. Particularly dissatisfied with the scenario, he sat with fellow podcaster, Rodney Green, and urged fans and track enthusiasts to let the youngsters go at their own pace.

"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 [Usain Bolt], you the next [Allyson Felix] 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."

Gatlin added:

"If everything starts crumbling around them, they're gonna be like 'Well wait a minute, I thought I was the next.' And then now the losses become so much pressure on their head and then now these young athletes fade away before they even 20 years old."

Justin Gatlin, the five-time Olympic medalist, became the oldest man in track and field history to win an Olympic medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The following year, he won the 100m gold at 35 at the 2017 World Championships, over a decade after he achieved it in the 2005 edition.

His eight 100m global medals made him the most decorated sprinter in the discipline. He vied for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but ended his run, citing a hamstring injury.