|
Not
so fast young man, Bolt cautions De Grasse
Send a link to a friend
 [June 09, 2017]
By Kayon Raynor
KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) - Usain
Bolt has cautioned Canadian young gun Andre De Grasse to temper his
expectations of dethroning him at the world championships in London
in August.
The 30-year-old Jamaican will run his final race on home soil at the
Racers Grand Prix this weekend before hanging up his spikes after
the London meet.
De Grasse, who chased Bolt home for silver in the 200 metres and
bronze in the 100m at the Rio Olympics last year, is widely tipped
to be one of the athletes bidding to fill the void left by the
sprint king's retirement.
"Over the years I've always tried to be diplomatic about how I
answered a lot questions, but what bothers me the most when athletes
are coming up through the ranks and they get to a certain level,
they always want to beat me, I don't know why?" Bolt told reporters
in Kingston on Thursday.
De Grasse, 22, said this week he intends to beat Bolt before the
world record holder in both 100 and 200m brings down the curtain on
his glittering career.
Bolt, who will only run the shorter sprint in the British capital,
has not been beaten in an individual sprint at a major championship
for a decade.
He has won the sprint double at the last three Olympics and three of
the last four world championships, the one exception being when he
false started in the 100m at Daegu in 2011.
[to top of second column] |
Andre De Grasse of Canada gestures. REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy
"I always tell my younger athletes at Racers track club, listen,
'when you're climbing a ladder, you have to take your time and work
your way up to the top', so all I have to say to De Grasse is take
your time and climb his way to the top," Bolt said.
"That's all I have to say about that."
(Editing by Sudipto Ganguly) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
 |
