Usain Bolt Rips Carl Lewis After 200-Meter Victory, Says He’s ‘Lost All Respect’ for Olympic Legend

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Aug 10, 2012

Usain Bolt was his usual jubilant, cocky, playful self after winning the 200 meters in London on Thursday. Until Carl Lewis‘ name was mentioned.

Bolt was asked about the great sprinters in history, including Jesse Owens and Lewis. After praising Owens, Bolt made it perfectly clear that he was going to say something controversial, and he followed through.

“Carl Lewis, I have no respect for him,” Bolt told reporters. “The things he says about the track athletes are very downgrading. I think he’s just looking for attention because nobody really talks about him.

“That was really sad for me when I heard the other day what he was saying. It was upsetting. I’ve lost all respect for him. All respect.”

Bolt’s hostility toward Lewis stems from comments Lewis made in the past regarding Jamaica’s drug testing policy. He never specifically accused Bolt of taking performance-enhancing drugs, but he did question the country’s testing procedures following Bolt’s 2008 performance in Beijing.

Bolt once again assured the world on Thursday that he and fellow Jamaican sprinters Yohan Blake and Warren Weir — who won silver and bronze, respectively, in the 200 meters — were clean.

“We train really hard,” said Bolt, who also declared himself a “legend” and “the greatest athlete to live.”

Greatest athlete to live? Well … Greatest Olympian to live? He’s certainly making a case. Somewhere, however, Lewis would probably beg to differ.

And here I was thinking Bolt lost all respect because of Lewis’ national anthem rendition.

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Quote of the Day

When you’re talking about UCLA, it’s one of the great schools in the world — not just America, but in the world. It’s a safe, beautiful campus in a great area of town. I mean, we don’t have murders one block off our campus.
–UCLA coach Jim Mora, clearly upsetting some people in the process

 

Video of the Day

After watching this, you might also lose a little respect for Carl Lewis.

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