Usain Bolt Trades Track for Grandstands at World Athletics Championship, Champions Puma Innovation
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Track and field legend Usain Bolt, retired from competitive sprinting, is embracing a new role at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest: spectator. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist, now a global ambassador for Puma, will experience the event from the grandstands, a outlook he says he’s never had before.
Bolt’s transition from athlete to observer comes as advancements in athletic footwear are reshaping perceptions of what’s possible in sprinting. Puma representatives claim their current sneaker technology could enable a runner to break Bolt’s still-standing 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds in the 100 meters – a feat they suggest might have even been achievable for Bolt himself had he access to the technology during his career. This revelation underscores a broader conversation about the impact of technological innovation on athletic performance and raises questions about the limits of human potential.
the Jamaican sprinter recently appeared at a media event in Tokyo promoting Puma’s latest athletic wear. “So far, I haven’t seen a preference from such an angle,” Bolt stated, referring to his upcoming experience as a fan. “I think I will be more relaxed as a viewer, but it may be that other Jamaican excitement will be greater than running myself.”
Bolt expressed admiration for athletes like Shelly-ann Fraser-Pryce, who have continued to excel with the aid of newer shoe technology. ”I fully agree,” Bolt saeid. “I saw it as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, continuing my career as I finished, accelerated with new shoes.” He jokingly added, ”If I had known that the shoes would be so advanced, I might have continued my career. I didn’t try to run in modern shoes myself. I don’t want to stretch the lodges.”
Eleven Lithuanian athletes are among the competitors at the World Athletics Championship, where Bolt will be a prominent spectator. His presence highlights the ongoing evolution of the sport and the increasing influence of athletic apparel on performance.
