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Usain Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record holder, has claimed that track and field needs to evolve to gain popularity among the masses.
The Jamaican legend is considered to be one of the greatest sprinters of all time. He drew massive crowds to athletic events owing to his global popularity. However, after his retirement in 2017, track and field hasn't had a successor to match his charisma.
In fact, Usain Bolt told Reuters last year that the popularity of track and field had gone down after his retirement.
"After me, it kind of went down because of who I was as a person and how big my personality was," he claimed.
But he aimed to revive that. Bolt revealed that he was in talks with World Athletics to make a bigger impact in sports. However, no substantial results have come till now.
In a recent interview with World Athletics, Usain Bolt once again reiterated that the sport needed a change. He believes changing the way athletic meets are conducted is the way forward.
"I love the competition, but I think track and field needs to evolve. To really look in ways they can evolve, change the scenery, and change the way they go about doing meets. And I think until we evolve, track and field will continue to float under the radar,” he claimed.
The Jamaican also heaped praise on Noah Lyles for trying to revive the sport. The American sensation has adopted an aura of women's sprinting legend Florence Griffith Joyner, and with a mix of anime and style, he is seeing a massive rise in popularity.
"Track and field needs the attention because I think our sports goes under the radar since I have retired. So, it is good that he [Noah Lyles] is trying to do different things to bring the sport back,” Bolt told Athletics Weekly.
Usain Bolt believes Noah Lyles has a chance to break his 200m world record
After clocking 19.31s at the 2022 World Championships, Noah Lyles became the third-fastest 200m sprinter of all time. The reigning world champion has claimed several times that he aims to break Usain Bolt’s 19.19s world record.
The Jamaican recently revealed his thoughts on Lyles’ claim. While he claimed that it wouldn't be easy for the 5x Diamond League champion, Bolt revealed that there was a possibility Noah Lyles could touch or overtake the 19.19s mark.
"It's not gonna be easy. I think Noah will feel like it's easy running both events. It was never easy...But I think the possibility is there because he came close at the World Championships," he told Citius Magzine.
However, he didn't reveal how Lyles could do it.
"I think if he corrects a few things – I won’t say – he could get better. The possibility is there... I won’t tell you how to break the world record," Usain Bolt added.
