“Athletes Damage Their Reputation”: Usain Bolt Reveals Why He Never Returned to Olympics

The track and field star, Usain Bolt, continues to make headlines, courtesy of his legendary stature. With his magnificent collection of medals and achievements, he remains one of the most decorated athletes of all time.

Throughout his life as an athlete, Bolt’s dedication and enthusiasm were the most talked about, apart from his accolades, of course. He is the only athlete to win gold at three consecutive Olympics. Undoubtedly, turning into a prominent figure in the world of sports, Bolt grew, not just as an athlete but as a person, too.

Despite retiring in 2017, the athlete is followed wherever he goes. Through an interview, Bolt recently spoke about his decision to not return to sports after retirement.

“I don’t want to mess with my reputation”- Bolt

Bolt’s wish to become the fastest man on the planet came true at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Despite calling it quits years ago, his records remain untouched to date.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts as he wins the Olympic mens 200m final in a new world record time in the Birds Nest stadium, Beijing on August 20th 2008 in Beijing, China (Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images). An image from the book “In The Moment” published June 2012

Recently, the athlete revealed why he never returned to sports after his retirement. Bolt believes a lot of athletes return to sports post-retirement and end up ruining their image. For Bolt, reputation matters a lot.

“For me, when it starts getting hard for you to motivate yourself, it’s time to go. Because my sponsors said ‘You should stay longer, we’ll pay you more money,” said the Olympian.

“I’m like ‘Yeah, it’s good to have money, but I don’t want to mess with my reputation.’ I’ve seen so much athletes retire and come back and then just damage their reputation,” he added.

Usain Bolt reveals poor dentistry condition of Jamaica

The retired Jamaican sprinter also spoke about the poor dental treatment he received as a child. Recalling his childhood, he spoke about the difficulties he faced with dental care.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 18: Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates after he wins Gold in the final of the Men’s 200m on Day 13 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 18, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“If you watch my career, I had broken teeth through my younger age that I couldn’t get fixed because it wasn’t easily accessible,” said Bolt.

The athlete was exposed to faulty dentistry of the country, which led to anxiety about future dental treatments. However, overcoming his then fears, he decided to get his teeth fixed in Germany.

What do you feel about Bolt’s decision? Do you want him to return to the track?

READ MORE: “It Was a Surprise”: Usain Bolt Admits Thinking USA Would Win 100m Race at Tokyo Olympics 2020

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