Michael Johnson doubtful of Usain Bolt’s claims to bag four gold medals at London Olympics 2012
Michael Duane Johnson, former formidable sprinter from America, while commenting on the Jamaican star performer Usain Bolt’s claim to bag four golds at next year’s Olympics contest, said that doing so will definitely not be an easy job.
Speaking out of experience, Johnson, who bagged four Olympic gold medals along with eight gold medals in the World Championships, appeared doubtful of Bolt’s accomplishment.
According to the news, the fastest man of the world will now compete in the 4x400m relay contest. Besides that, the winner of the gold medal at the World Championships over the distance of 200m will also defend his Olympic titles in the 100m and 200m contests.
At this year’s World Championships, Bolt could have bagged three gold medals had he not been disqualified from the 100m run.
For having no close match in all the four contests, the stellar performer’s spectators believe that he is fast enough to live up to the expectations. However, Johnson, the World and Olympic record holder of the 400m and 400m relay thinks quite contrary.
Nevertheless, if Bolt succeeds in claiming four gold medals in the 2012 London Olympics, he will be the first athlete to do so.
Sharing his thoughts on the athletic star’s resolve for an unprecedented showdown, Johnson, the greatest long sprinter in the history of track and field said, “You can’t train for the 400 (as well), it would be an absolute distraction and the training wouldn’t
work. I think he could be the world-record holder at 400 metres but he’s said that he has no interest in training for it, which I can understand – it is a difficult race to train for”.
Adding to his remarks, the former American athlete said that he had no doubts over Bolt’s ability to defend his titles over 100m, 200m and 4x100m contests. However, in his view, going for 4x400m was a tough call.
The legendary athlete, while giving an interview in a radio programme, however, admitted the fact that without Bolt, his team had little chances to stand before their American rivals.
He said, “Without him the Jamaican team certainly doesn’t have enough 400m runners to beat the United States. They could beat US possibly with him on the team if he was training for the 400m, but he can’t just step onto the track and run a 44 or a 43-second
split just off 100m and 200m training”.
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