Bolt unfazed by robot's record run, eyes Manchester derby instead
BUDAPEST: Most athletes might bristle at seeing their records being broken. When eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt learned that a robot in China had eclipsed his 100-metres world record by almost a second, he was rather amused by the turn of events.
BUDAPEST: Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic champion, remained unfazed by a robot's record-breaking run in a 100-metres race. The Jamaican athlete's amusement was evident as he joked about the robot clocking 8.64 seconds, almost a second faster than Bolt's own 9.58 world record set in 2009. The news of the robot's achievement had made headlines, but Bolt shrugged it off, stating that it just made him smile.
The 40-year-old was in relaxed form when he met journalists during the final day of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. Despite the attention, Bolt appeared keen to focus on his upcoming Manchester derby against Manchester City, a match of significant importance to him as a lifelong supporter of United.
He also reflected on his place in sports history, expressing his ambition to be remembered alongside greats like Muhammad Ali. Bolt dismissed rumors suggesting he was out of shape, maintaining that he was in the best shape of his life and working out daily. The reporter's query about Bolt's brief flirtation with football a couple of years ago, which included a trial with Australian club Central Coast Mariners, was met with laughter.
The mention of Wythenshawe Vets FC, a Sunday league team in south Manchester, briefly piqued interest, but Bolt clarified that he only learned about it through his agent, Ricky Simms, who offered a diplomatic explanation about the club's interest in having Bolt as a potential player should he visit Manchester. Bolt, however, expressed no immediate interest in playing non-league football, preferring to focus on his retirement and enjoying the Manchester United match.
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