Usain Bolt says athletes who dope must \u201cstop or the sport will die\u201d as he prepares to race for the final time in his illustrious career.<\/p>\n
Bolt, an eight-time Olympic champion and icon of world sport, will retire after this month\u2019s World Championships.
\nThe Jamaican, 30, will run in the 100m and 4x100m at the Worlds, which begin in London on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully athletes will see what\u2019s going on and what they need to do to help the sport move forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Referring to the McLaren report, which uncovered evidence of a Russian state-sponsored doping programme, he added: \u201cPersonally I think we were at rock bottom. After the scandal on Russia I don\u2019t think it gets any worse than that.
\n\u201cOver the years we\u2019re doing a better job, it\u2019s getting clean and we\u2019re catching up to a lot of athletes. There\u2019s an understanding that if you cheat you will get caught. Over time the sport will get better.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said a couple of years ago it had to get really bad, when there\u2019s nowhere else to go but up. Doping is always a bad thing and it\u2019s never pleasant because you put in the hard work and the sport starts going forward and then you have other guys bringing it back, it\u2019s hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going in the right direction so hopefully it will continue in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019m still the fastest\u2019
\nThe men\u2019s World 100m final is on Saturday, 5 August, while the men\u2019s 4x100m relay race \u2013 which will mark the end of Bolt\u2019s career \u2013 is on the following Saturday.<\/p>\n
Bolt has won 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at the past three Olympic Games \u2013 Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.
\nHowever, his unprecedented \u2018triple triple\u2019 of nine gold medals was downgraded to eight after Jamaican team-mate Nesta Carter, who was part of the quartet that won the 4x100m in Beijing, tested positive for a banned substance.<\/p>\n
Carter has appealed against the decision.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Bolt\u2019s exploits remain unprecedented and he also holds the world record in the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19).<\/p>\n
Asked if he still believes he is the fastest in the world, the Jamaican replied: \u201cYeah, without a doubt.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last race I ran was a 9.95, so that shows I am going in the right direction. After the two rounds leading up to the 100m final, which always help me, it\u2019s all about who keeps their nerve.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been here many times. I know I am ready.\u201d
\nAsked in an interview with BBC Sport whether he believes his world records will be broken, he replied: \u201cI hope they\u2019re not. No athlete would ever wish for that \u2013 I want to brag to my kids when they\u2019re in their 20s: \u2018See, I\u2019m still the best!
\n\u201cThere is no-one around now, in this era, who can do it. No. Maybe in a couple of years, 10 years, but my records are safe for now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Athletics after Bolt<\/strong> He named South African 25-year-old Wayde van Niekerk, who will be competing in the 400m and 200m in London.<\/p>\n \u201cWayde van Niekerk is proving he is a world star. He has broken the 400m world record, he ran the fastest 300m ever, and now he\u2019s doing the 200m also. For me, he\u2019s proving that he can step up to the plate,\u201d said Bolt.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m watching him, we\u2019ve had discussions and he\u2019s a cool person but I\u2019ve told him to open up his personality a little bit because he\u2019s really laid back.\u201d<\/p>\n Bolt after athletics<\/strong> \u201cI ride quad bikes, that\u2019s an adrenaline rush,\u201d he said. He says he does not think he will re-consider his retirement as he has nothing left to prove \u2013 and of his legacy added that he wanted to be considered among the greatest sports figures of all time.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to be one of the greats,\u201d he said. Asked if it was his mind or body saying \u2018enough\u2019, he replied: \u201cIt\u2019s the body, definitely.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the years, I\u2019ve got more niggling injuries than anything else, simple little things, but it\u2019s just because I\u2019m getting older. The pounding means my body\u2019s just deteriorating now, so for me it\u2019s just time to go.\u201d<\/p>\n Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Usain Bolt says athletes who dope must \u201cstop or the sport will die\u201d as he prepares to race for the final time in his illustrious career. Bolt, an eight-time Olympic champion and icon of world sport, will retire after this month\u2019s World Championships. The Jamaican, 30, will run in the 100m and 4x100m at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[249],"tags":[564,9815,3437],"yoast_head":"\n
\nBolt was also asked which of the current stars of track and field could potentially replace him as the pre-eminent force in the sport.<\/p>\n
\nBolt says he will miss the \u201cthrill\u201d of being on the track but that it is time for him to slow down and enjoy himself.
\n\u201cThe energy when you first walk out on the track and the people go crazy, that\u2019s what I\u2019ll miss the most,\u201d he said.
\nHe might manage to replace the buzz of competing with one of his hobbies, though.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cBut I think it\u2019s time for me to slow down a little, relax a little bit. Enjoy myself as much as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhenever there\u2019s a conversation about the greatest sports stars, I want to be part of that conversation. I want people to say: \u2018Yeah, Usain Bolt was one of the greatest\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n