AFP
Rio de Janeiro, August 23: As doping-tainted athletics emerges from its darkest hour fighting to restore its credibility, the reality for track and field is that it will have to cross that rocky road without Usain Bolt.
Bolt, who sealed an amazing third haul of three Olympic sprint gold medals in Rio, has consistently been a beacon for clean athletes amid doping and corruption scandals that mired Sebastian Coe’s first year in office as IAAF president.
Bolt will compete at next year’s World Championships in London as his swansong, meaning the next Olympics in Tokyo will not feature one of sport’s most recognisable figures. However, there is contrasting thoughts as to whether his absence will be too huge a void to fill.
American Ashton Eaton, who defended his decathlon title here, was described by Bolt after his victory in London four years ago as the world’s best athlete. And Eaton was adamant that Bolt’s absence would not leave a vacuum.
“I will say that it is an absolute pleasure to be able to compete in the same era as Usain Bolt,” Eaton said. “I really disagree he’ll leave a vacuum. If anything, he’s provided a platform for all the other young, aspiring athletes to launch from.
“Just now we’re not seeing the fruits of his accomplishments and labour, but I think in the years to come you’ll see a lot of young athletes who’ll say ‘I got inspired by Usain Bolt’.
Bolt will not be lost to the sport, however, with IAAF president Sebastian Coe stating that he envisaged the Jamaican, so often able to deflect bad news with his on-track shows, playing a key role in years to come.
“I’ve been very clear, I said ‘Whenever you (Bolt) decide to do other things, let’s make sure in that portfolio of those things you will obviously want to go off and do, we don’t lose you from the sport’,” Coe said. “I’m very intent on that. Athletics will not lose Bolt.”
Bolt’s training partner Yohan Blake said it was up to the current wave of younger athletes to try to carry on the great man’s track mantle.
“He is more than an immortal. He always encourages us to do better. We can push on after him and keep the legacy going,” said Blake.