Usain Bolt says he needs to “get it together” if he plans on making further history on Saturday night in the 100m event by winning a 12th world title.
Lining up for his last competition pre-retirement, the Jamaican super sprinter struggled out of the blocks in Friday night’s 100m heats at the World Championships in London, but recovered to win it in 10.07 seconds.
“Overall the start was poor, as always, but I need to get it together because in the shape I’m in, I have to really get into the race to really get going so I can win if I want to. So I’ve got to stay focused and hopefully everything comes together tomorrow,” said Bolt, who clocked the seventh-fastest time in the heats.
The 30-year-old’s rival, Justin Gatlin, who served a four-year ban reduced from eight for doping from 2006-10, ran 10.05sec to edge closer to a showdown with Bolt in Saturday night’s final, and later paid tribute to the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder.
“It’s going to be history-making, he’s done so much for the sport, I’m just glad to be able to be one of his rivals and also come out here and just have a good time with him, having a laugh in the back,” said Gatlin of Bolt. “So it’s not really tension, it’s just really going out there and having a gentlemen’s rivalry, that’s what it is.”
Watch Bolt’s 100m heat and listen to his and Gatlin’s comments ahead of the semi-finals.
