Usain Bolt's Return to the Track: A Fun What-If Scenario for the 2024 Paris Olympics

By Jayson Panganiban May 28, 2024 10:14

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

With the 2024 Paris Olympics looming on the horizon, many track and field aficionados have had one question at the back of their minds — what if sprinting legend Usain Bolt decided to return to the tracks? Given the state of track and field, just how well would Bolt fare in an Olympics heavily weighted with potential change?

Usain Bolt: A Legendary Running Career

The Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is forever included in the Parthenon of athletics, if not only on account of his speed and visible charisma. A giant of the track, Bolt's incredible career include an unprecedented triple-triple at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics where he won gold in the 100m, 200m and as part of Jamaica's victorious 4x100m relay team. His 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19 seconds) world records remain the stuff of legend, highlighting his utter stranglehold on sprinting during his career.

Today's Track Stars: Noah Lyles, Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek

While we mull over the probabilities of Bolt making a return, let's give some thought to the crop that stands in his way if he were to take aim at an eighth Olympic title. Noah Lyles, fast and funny 200m star with his fast-twitch ability to put up 9.76-second 100-meter performances so consistently, Christian Coleman just pushed the boundaries of human sprint capability in a way no one ever has before in that event-- while rising star Kenny Bednarek is adding an exciting new dimension to the world of sprint speed with such considerable potential across both sprints (he's run sub-10.00 and sub-20 flat within only two weeks).

Noah Lyles

With a personal best in the 200m of 19.50 seconds, Lyles has revealed world-class speed over the half-lap and seems to have defied any challenge so far in that event; earning IAAF Diamond League wins ahead of two-century world champions Ramil Guliyev (TUR) and Anaso Jobodwana (SA) earlier this year.

Factor in his ability to hold onto his speed through the turn and then hammer a closing kick, and he's a major player in the 200m.

Christian Coleman

Coleman's startling speed has carried him to a lifetime best of 9.76 in the 100m, establishing him as one of the sprinters for whom dislodging from that distance appears near impossible.

It is his ability to back up fast opening sections by holding his pace through the back half of the race that has become a hallmark of his racing prowess.

Kenny Bednarek

Bednarek's combination of abilities in the 100m and 200m events, with a personal best of 19.65 seconds in the 200m, mark him as a potential challenger to those currently dominating sprinting.

Bolt Factor (Probability of a Bolt-y Performance)

Given the fact that Bolt has been out of competitive sprinting since his retirement following the 2017 World Championships, it makes sense to make an assessment on what are the chances he will recapture his earlier successes in just three years time at the Paris Games.

The Impact of Time Away

That Bolt has been away from the sport for so long also raises questions to which we don't yet have answers: Can he regain that otherworldly form and rhythm with less than two months of races on his schedule before worlds?
The requirements for an individual to sprint at the elite level in athletics are immense but that plus time and potential decline with aging may prove too much of a challenge for Bolt should he decide upon any comeback.

Medaling: The Balancing Act

The proposed fantasy what if, as we chart this spellbinding tale of "did he really" along, is the tantalizing proposition that Usain Bolt could medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Competitive Landscape

The strength in depth of athletes like Lyles, Coleman and Bednarek reiterates the fight Bolt would face for Olympic success.The ever changing dynamics of sprinting involving improved training methodologies and technological advancements also make the challenge awaiting Bolt on his return more intense.

The X Factor: Bolt's Legacy & Toughness In The Arena

Usain Bolt's extraordinary success on the track and unprecedented global drawing power naturally gives him an intangible X-factor that no other athlete-turned-footballer can match.
Squeaky clean charisma, dogged resilience and an archetypical fairytale return arc could inspire a comeback from the abyss that straddles realms beyond sport.

The Thrill of Change

Before we continue our little foray down speculation avenue, it is important to enjoy the pleasure of wondering about a living legend stepping once again onto the blacktop. Just the idea of Bolt churning away at those big gears in the Olympic cauldron gets you excited with an anticipation that defies numbers.
Weaving dreams and aspirations like a rich tapestry of sportsmanship, this touching "what if" tale revels in that moment when past glory meets present ambition. Whether Bolt races again or simply lives on as a memory