Usain Bolt is reversing his retirement plans already. A few weeks ago, the fastest man in the world told the media that he planned to hang up his track spikes after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. But the Jamaican track star now says he’s looking to extend his career by a year, meaning he could quit after the 2017 world championships in London.
“I am definitely reconsidering,” Bolt said Thursday while in London on a book tour for his autobiography, Faster Than Lightning. “I think my fans especially have really voiced their concern about me retiring.”
“They think I should carry on and so do my sponsors. I have discussed it with my coach and he says it is possible. We will see what happens. But it’s on the cards that I will extend it by one more year.”
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are not in his thoughts.
“It’s a long way away, but if I win the next Olympics I will have done everything I wanted to do in my career,” Bolt said. “So there would be no reason to continue.”
Bolt has dominated the world of sprinting since breaking the world record in the 100-meters in 2008. He is both the defending Olympic and World Champions in the 100, 200 and 4×100-meter relay.
