Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt gets winded climbing stairs

Usain Bolt made a brief return to the world of athletics on Sunday night in Tokyo, appearing before a crowd of 60,000 at the National Stadium. Striking his signature “To Da World” pose ahead of the 100m finals, the 39-year-old eight-time Olympic gold medallist offered fans a nostalgic reminder of his peak years on the track.

Bolt, who has been retired since 2017, shared that he had not watched athletics until recently, when the performances of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Oblique Seville reignited his interest. However, his current lifestyle is far removed from the intensity of competition, as per a report by The Guardian.

Eight times gold medallist gets breathless on stairs

Now leading a quieter life, Bolt described his typical day as one spent watching movies, building Lego, and occasionally working out. “If I have nothing to do, I just chill out,” he said. “I might work out sometimes if I’m in a good mood.” He added that he no longer runs, particularly after rupturing his Achilles last year.

“No, I mostly do gym workouts. I’m not a fan, but I think now that I’ve been out for a while I have to actually start running. Because when I walk up stairs I get out of breath. I think when I start working on it fully again, I will probably have to do some laps just to get my breathing right.”

Current male sprinters lack talent

Despite the advances in spike and track technology, Bolt was direct when asked why today’s male sprinters aren’t as fast as those from his era. “You want the real answer? We’re just more talented,” he said. “That’s all I’m saying.” While he acknowledged that female athletes are consistently posting faster times, he maintained that among men, talent was the deciding factor.

Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m (9.58s), 200m (19.19s), and 4x100m relay (36.84s), pointed out that no sprinter has run under 9.70 seconds since the Lausanne Diamond League in 2012. He also cited Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s improved performances using advanced spikes as further evidence that raw ability is still what matters. “She ran faster. So it’s just the talent. We’re just way more talented men over that time,” he said.

Urges athletes to engage with fans

Bolt encouraged current athletes to reveal more of their personalities to connect with wider audiences. “It’s the personality,” he said. “If you try too hard, it’s not going to be the same.” He recalled waving to Queen Elizabeth II at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony as a moment that exemplified his approach to engaging fans.

Plans to take children to 2027 World Championships

Despite being retired, Bolt said he is excited to re-engage with the sport as a fan and parent. He hopes to bring his children—Olympia Lightning Bolt, and twin sons Saint Leo and Thunder Bolt—to the 2027 World Championships in Beijing.

“I’m excited because I get to bring my kids and I can tell them: ‘Listen, this is where it all happened,’” he said, referring to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won his first Olympic titles and became a global icon.

Bolt is currently in Tokyo to promote the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championship, scheduled to be held in Budapest next year.