Usain Bolt reveals how his friendship with Tyson Gay turned sour
.jpg)
Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 07.12.24. | 22:00
Early in their careers, Bolt and Gay enjoyed a mutual respect that saw them train, talk, and compete as equals alongside other sprinters like Wallace Spearmon
Word’s fastest man Usain Bolt has reflected on the rise and fall of his friendship with American rival Tyson Gay. The two sprinters, once close friends, became embroiled in a frosty rivalry as Bolt ascended to dominate the sport.
“Me and Tyson, we were kind of close friends,” Bolt revealed in an interview with USA Today.
Early in their careers, Bolt and Gay enjoyed a mutual respect that saw them train, talk, and compete as equals alongside other sprinters like Wallace Spearmon.
“We used to beat each other. Tyson would win one, Wallace would win one race, I would get one,” Bolt reminisced.
However, the dynamic shifted when Bolt, with his long strides and record-shattering performances, began winning consistently. The friendship that defined their early relationship faded.
"As soon as I start winning, all of that changes. He stopped talking to me," Bolt said.
The Jamaican sprinter, who dominated three consecutive Olympic Games, believes the change stemmed from Gay's inability to handle repeated losses.
“I think everybody deals with losing differently. We talk, but I wouldn’t say we’re friends. I don’t have a problem,” Bolt remarked, maintaining that he bore no personal animosity towards Gay.
Tyson Gay, a Kentucky-born sprinter, and the joint second-fastest 100m runner in history with a personal best of 9.69 seconds, achieved remarkable success in his career.
He clinched three World Championship gold medals in 2007, cementing his place as one of the sport’s elite. However, his Olympic career was less fruitful, with the American failing to secure a medal on the world’s biggest stage.
Gay’s legacy was further complicated in 2013 when he tested positive for a banned substance. The admission, which he attributed to misplaced trust in a coach, led to a two-year ban from competition.
“I put my trust in someone and was let down,” Gay confessed at the time.
He returned to the track in 2015 and retired after competing at the 2016 Olympics.
Bolt on the other hand Bolt turned professional in 2004 and it was at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing where ‘Lightning Bolt’ established himself as a household name.
The Jamaican sprinter secured two golds in China in both the 100m and 200m finals repeating the same feat four years later at the 2012 London Games.
This time he added a 4 x 100m relay gold as a strong Jamaica team featuring the talented Nesta Carter, Nathan Blake, and Micheal Frater held off strong competition from Trinidad and Tobago to scoop the gold.
Bolt appeared in his final Olympics in Brazil in 2016 and repeated London's success to become the first athlete to win three successive 100m and 200m golds.
As was the case in 2012, the Jamaican team cruised to another 4 x 100m win, with Japan and Canada having to settle for the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
He called time on a glittering career with eight Olympic gold medals, 11 World Championship golds, two silvers, and one bronze in the Bolt medal collection.