Allen Johnson announces retirement
An undoubtedly pivotal asset to the athletics squad of United States of America, Allen Johnson is a personality only few Americans may be unaware of. Displaying an almost uncanny excellence at the field of athletics since his college days, Johnson has brought a tremendous number of accolades to his name. He displayed his true potential to the world the first time when he signalled the end to Briton Colin Jackson’s feat of accomplishing 44 consecutive victories in the arena of hurdle racing.
Ever since his career commenced in 1994, Johnson has allowed the American nation to include in its basket of glory nine gold medals, each one of them a testimony of the innate skills and zeal of this athlete. This is further articulated by the fact that a severe injury in 2000 did not succeed in preventing Johnson from performing at the Summer Olympics, hence demonstrating that he is amongst the league of those athletes who play for their heart. Allen Johnson also has the distinction of completing 11 races in less than 13 seconds, a feat yet to be broken by any athlete at a competition. It is therefore entirely lucid that Johnson is deserving of the fame he has been showered with throughout his career.
It therefore came as a huge blow to the American nation, as well as to the vast majority of athletic lovers from around the globe, when Allen Johnson decided to declare his retirement on the 10th of July at the British Grand Prix in Gateshed. According to the four times world champion, his physical health has reached to the level where it cannot sustain the same winning streak. He delivered a statement clarifying that the motives behind this announcement are entirely based on his health, and that at his age, it becomes increasingly harder to stage recoveries with a completely satisfying level of fitness as injuries occur.
However, for those who remember him as the man who enabled them to witness a scintillating best of 12.92 seconds, this announcement remains a decision hard to digest, despite the entirely pure and professional motives encompassing it. Allen Johnson did however casually concede that he may consider coaching, in pursuit of returning something to the sport that has given him a life of memories and glory to cherish, and till further talks progress, this remains the faint ray of hope for his vast fan following.
Ahead of the Olympics 2012, Allen Johnson’s decision to declare his retirement from the sport nonetheless accounts to a huge blow on part of the American athletics. Certainly, the legacy of Allen Johnson is one that is unparalleled as yet; though his feats serve as a constant reminder to other upcoming athletes about the level of expectations attached to their performances. At the same time they dawn upon the world the truth that Johnson has left behind a vacuum that no performer has as yet demonstrated the potential to fill. While one hopes that Allen Johnson is able to completely savour his life post retirement in the manner he intends to, one cannot help but wonder how the American nation will deal with the loss of performance of an exceptionally brilliant athlete.
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