Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt will retire after the London World Athletics Championships in 2017, it was announced Saturday.
The Jamaican sprinter had initially suggested he would retire after the Rio Olympics in 2016 to try and finish on a high note but the 28-year-old cited sponsorship commitments as the reason to continue until 2017.
“That was the initial plan (to sign off after Rio),” he told the Daily Mail. “But my sponsor has asked me to go on for another year; to 2017 and London”.
“But I’ll be doing one event, the 100. I’ve already discussed it with my coach. I can concentrate on that, and on retiring on a winning note.”
Bolt will go to this year’s World Championships in Beijing where he will be looking to add to his collection of eight World Championship gold medals as well as to improve his world record of 9.58 seconds in the 100m he set in Berlin in 2009.
“Well, it takes races,” he added. “But if everything goes well this season… in my life anything is possible. If I can get myself in good shape, it should be wonderful this season.
“I live for competition. I thrive on competition. I live to compete against the best .”
Hugo Lowell