Usain Bolt to retire after 2016 Olympics? Sprinter considering leaving sport after Rio
Champion athlete Usain Bolt was in Mexico City on 7 October, as part of his promotional duties for Puma, where he set out his remaining career goals as he ponders retirement post 2016 Olympic Games. Regarded as the fastest person ever, the Jamaican athlete is the first man to hold both the 100m and 200m world records. He has also set the world 4 x 100 metre relay, making him the first Olympian champion to take all three events. But as he approaches 30, Bolt admitted retirement is not far from his mind.
"My plan is just leading up to the Olympics right now, that is my focus. I start training next week so that will be my main focus because Olympic year, I'm just going to go into it, ready to go, and be focused. Me and my coach have been discussing when we're going to retire so after the Olympics he says we shouldn't say no or yes. After the Olympics we should decide whether we continue for one more year or not, so after we come to that," he said.
Not happy sitting on his laurels, Bolt has some clear career goals before he considers hanging up his running shoes. "I have two more goals I hope to accomplish before I retire and that is defending my Olympic title three times, that's one, and I'd love to run the sub-90 also, so those are the two goals that keeps driving me on, that I really want to do next season. But in my life, I really don't know right now, if I lose a race I don't know," he added.
Seeking to cement his legendary status in athletic circles, the Olympic champion wants to clinch more gold in Brazil in 2016. "If I go to the Olympics and win then I will be comfortable to say to anybody that I'm a legend. Other people are saying you're a legend, I want to do it one more time and then I'll be comfortable if people ask "are you a legend", then I can say to people I am a legend. I want to be among the greats of the world so if I want to do that I have to continue doing great things, pushing the barriers. That's my focus, that's what I want," said Bolt.
Previously, Usain Bolt told media he intended to retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships in London.
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