Usain Bolt holds the world records in the 100 and 200 metres, with both recrods set at the 2009 world championships in Berlin. Phil Noble / Reuters
Usain Bolt holds the world records in the 100 and 200 metres, with both recrods set at the 2009 world championships in Berlin. Phil Noble / Reuters

Usain Bolt gives up on setting new world records: ‘It’s all beyond me now’



Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt has said he does not expect to break anymore world records as his illustrious athletics career enters its final stages.

Bolt, 30, last month completed his Olympic career by securing a sweep of the sprint titles in Rio for a third successive Games.

It was at the first of those Games, at Beijing 2008, that Bolt stormed to his first pair of world records of 9.69 seconds in the 100m and 19.30 seconds in the 200m.

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He would go on to break both records exactly 12 months later at the world championships in Berlin, clocking 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m.

However, with his sprint career winding down, Bolt does not believe he will be able to better those times as he prepares for his final world championships in London next summer.

“No (world records), it’s all beyond me now, right now it is just for me to go out there and leave with a big bang as much as possible,” Bolt said.

“I just want to go to the world championships, do my best as always and stay on a certain level and that’s the plan.”

Bolt said he expects to run just the 100m in London, but his coach Glen Mills is pushing for him to do the double.

“That’s the plan, but I still have to discuss it with my coach,” Bolt told Television Jamaica on Tuesday.

“He still wants me to do the double, but I’ve told him I would really like to just do the 100m, so at the start of the season we’ll decide exactly what (to focus on), but that’s what’s on my mind.”

Bolt has wild card entries for both the 100 and 200 metres at the August 5-13 world championships by virtue of winning both events at last year’s worlds in Beijing.

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

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Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

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