Can the world catch up to Usain Bolt's records?
When you hear the phrase "Fastest Man Alive," the automatic and still correct answer would be Usain Bolt. The track legend has not competed since 2017, yet his impact and status remain.
The rest of the world though is slowly catching up with Bolt.
In a social media post by World Athletics, it dubbed the current generation of 200 meters as the golden era. That proclamation is backed by the fact that there is an increasing trend among sub-20 records.
In 2023 alone, 20 athletes have done that including world top athletes like Noah Lyles, Erriyon Knighton, Letsile Tebogo, Kenneth Bednarek, and Zharnel Hughes.
The year Bolt retired, only seven have run 200 meters below 20 seconds. It has almost tripled since.
Despite that, his 19.19 seconds world record in the discipline remains untouched. However, the eight-time Olympic gold medalist believes the 200m will be broken first before his mythical 9.58 seconds world record in 100 meters.
"I really don't know, I think the 100m's going to be harder because it's quicker, and if you make a mistake during the race you're not going to get it. It's a lot more technical so I think maybe the 100m's going to go last," Bolt said in an interview with World Athletics.
Will the golden era live up to its billing and catch up to the Fasters Man Alive?