Tokyo, Sep 15

Eight years after retiring, Usain Bolt remains the benchmark in sprinting. The Jamaican legend, watching the World Championships from a skybox in Tokyo, reflected on his career ahead of Sunday’s races.

“When I was competing, I was working to break the benchmark,” Bolt said. “Now, it’s a great feeling to know that I’m the benchmark. If you want to be the best, you want to be a legend. I wanted to set high standards, and I did.”

Bolt’s records speak for themselves: eight Olympic golds, 11 world championship golds, and three world records — 9.58 seconds in the 100m, 19.19 in the 200m, and 36.84 in the 4x100m relay — that still stand.

Despite advances in track and shoe technology, no runner has come close to his individual marks. “Do you really want the answer? We’re just more talented,” he said with his signature humour.

Bolt’s impact went beyond speed. Known for his playful personality, trademark bow-and-arrow pose, and victory lap celebrations, he made track a fan-driven spectacle. “I just had a good time. I tried to engage with fans, and that’s why they gravitated to it,” he said.

Sunday marked his first return to a major global meet since retiring in 2017. Now a father of three — 5-year-old Olympia Lightning and 4-year-old twins Saint Leo and Thunder — Bolt looks forward to sharing his legacy with them at future championships, including Beijing, where his career took off in 2008.