Justin Gatlin takes gold before paying respect to departing Usain Bolt at world championships
American ruins the Jamaican’s swansong in London
Years from now, Justin Gatlin will remember the bow more than the chorus of boos.
OK, so Gatlin may have ruined Usain Bolt’s going-away party with his surprise win in the 100 metres at the world championships on Saturday night. Gatlin still did his best to soften the blow by bowing down to third-place finisher Bolt on his way off the track – a way of telling the people he knows what the Jamaican great has done for his sport.
“I have nothing but respect for him,” said Gatlin, who, at 35, is five years Bolt’s senior. “Even with me being older than him, he’s such an inspiration for me.”
Gatlin was booed at almost every turn this week in London – during introductions, at any time when his face showed up on the big screen, and never louder than when his name popped up on the top of the scoreboard as the winner in Bolt’s farewell 100-metre race at the worlds.
By now, Gatlin is used to it. With his doping past – his suspension ended in 2010 – the American has long been portrayed as the bad guy set against Bolt’s charismatic, fun-loving personality.
It doesn’t faze Gatlin anymore. He insisted he doesn’t care what anyone thinks and said all the boos were just background noise to him.
“I stayed focused on what I had to do,” Gatlin said. “I guess because I’ve become more of a rival for Usain, that’s where the booing comes from. I didn’t get booed throughout 2010. No boos in ’11, no boos in ’12, and ’12 was here (for the London Olympics). Didn’t get boos in ’13, ’14 or ’15.
