Usain Bolt‘s having second thoughts about retiring, three years before his planned retirement.
“I am definitely reconsidering (retiring after 2016),” Bolt said, according to the Telegraph. “I think my fans especially have really voiced their concern about me retiring.
“They think I should carry on, and so do my sponsors. I have discussed it with my coach, and he says it is possible. We will see what happens, but it’s on the cards that I will extend it by one more year.”
Bolt, 27, made global headlines Sept. 4, before his final meet of the season, when he said “it will be a good time to retire” after the 2016 Olympics.
If Bolt goes one more year, he could finish his career at the 2017 World Championships, which will be in London, site of his triple gold performance at the 2012 Olympics.
Bolt has been spending time in England promoting his new book, “Faster than Lightning,” a title that contradicts the title of one of his previous books.
He also repeated his desire to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, next year, should his coach OK it. Bolt has never competed at the once-every-four-years competition. He later said on BBC radio he would likely only run the 200 in Glasgow.
Bolt was also asked about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which do not seem like a possibility. Bolt will turn 34 in August 2020 and be at a similar age to Carl Lewis (35), Michael Johnson (33) and Donovan Bailey (32) at their final Olympics.
“I have not thought about (Japan),” Bolt said, according to the Telegraph. “It’s a long way away, but if I win the next Olympics I will have done everything I wanted to do in my career so there would be no reason to continue (to Japan 2020).”
Bolt, a noted Manchester United supporter, also recently went out of his way to help a rival before the Manchester Derby on Sunday.
The world’s fastest man gave Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero a lesson in speed in a Puma video published Thursday. He even donned a red United jersey with the No. 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVclLj3FSH4
“Usain was terrible at the beginning, but I realized after a while that he was just trying to wear me out,” Aguero said, according to the Telegraph. “When he started to play properly, he showed some skills though. He is not good enough to play for City, but I think he would have a good chance of getting into the United team.”
Remember, Bolt was reported to be on the United roster list for a preseason tribute match in August, one day before the first round of the 100 meters at the World Championships.
Bolt’s agent quickly squashed that, but Bolt has said he’d like a shot at soccer, perhaps after he retires.