Jamaica Observer — Usain Bolt has issued a stern warning for his latest challenger, young Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse and all other would-be challengers, to his mighty throne.The eight-time Olympic champion, who is on the brink of retirement, said: “Over the years I have always tried to be diplomatic about how I answer a lot questions but what bothers me the most is when an athlete is coming up through the ranks and they get to a certain level they always want to beat me, I don’t know why.
“I always tell the younger athletes at Racers Track Club – you have to take a step at a time, when you are climbing a ladder you have to take your time and work your way up to the top. So all I have to say to (Andre) De Grasse is take your time and work your way up to the top.”
Bolt was fielding questions at a press conference for the Racers Grand Prix Meet at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Thursday.
He will make his final appearance in a competitive race in Jamaica on Saturday night at the second staging of the Racers Grand Prix and his last final appearance at a competitive global event at the World Championships in London in August.
However, De Grasse on Wednesday expressed that he wanted to outrun Bolt when he makes his final appearance.
“I’m trying to win this year. I feel like I have a great chance and that’s what I want to do,” De Grasse told The Associated Press ahead of Thursday’s Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meet.
“I feel like I have a great chance in both events — 100 or 200,” De Grasse said. “If I can execute my race and I’m in top shape I feel like I can do that.”
The 22-year-old De Grasse took silver behind Bolt in the 200 at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and bronze behind Bolt and Justin Gatlin in the 100. Having also anchored Canada to a bronze medal in the 4×100 relay in Rio, De Grasse became the first Canadian sprinter to win three medals in a single Olympics.
