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You’re right, the Jamaican Flash and a long distance race don’t seem to belong in the same sentence, but there’s a tie-up all the same.
It was once thought that nobody could or would run a mile in under four minutes. But in 1954, Roger Bannister consigned that idea to the dustbin.
Another theory that prevailed for years was that nobody could or would break Michael Johnson’s 200 metre time of 19.32.
And they were right for 17 years, until Usain Bolt busted it wide open with a time of 19.19.
So the naysayers have moved on from there and now claim that nobody can break 19 seconds for the 200. And that’s a statement Bolt does not agree with.
In fact, he’s going to try to prove the doubters wrong this weekend at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Moscow.
He’s aiming for three gold medals: in the aforementioned 200, the 100 and the 4×100 relay. But to get close to his record of 9.58 in the 100, he’ll need a great start, something he’s not too good at.
And if he wants to do a Bannister in the 200, he’ll need more than a great start; he’ll also need to run a perfectly tight bend.
Can he do it? Dip under 19 seconds for the 200? His coach is quietly confident, and his charge is never anything but.
So if the World Championships are being carried in your area, stay close to your screen. You may witness yet another piece of sprinting history.