“He’s a super athlete, you know what I mean? - When Usain Bolt made emphatic claim after being asked if Cristiano Ronaldo would beat him in race
An old interview of the most decorated sprinter in history, Usain Bolt, has resurfaced where he speaks highly of Cristiano Ronaldo. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist is a Manchester United supporter and had named Ronaldo to give him a run for his money in a foot race.
In the interview from 2020, the Jamaican was asked who he thought would win a race between him and the Portuguese. Bolt joked that "right now" it would be Ronaldo as he has retired from athletics.
"For sure Cristiano Ronaldo. For me, he works out every day. He's a super athlete, you know what I mean? He's always on top of his game. He works hard, he's focused," Bolt said via TMZ Sports.
"So right now, I definitely think he's (Ronaldo) faster than me," confessed Bolt.
A 3D simulation shows who would win a race between Usain Bolt and Cristiano Ronaldo
Between 2008 and 2016, Usain Bolt won eight gold medals across three Olympics and set the world record for the fastest 100m run at 9.58 seconds, a record that still stands.
After dominating his field for over a decade, Bolt retired from elite running in 2017 at 31. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo is still plying his trade at 39. So there is some merit to Bolt's claim of the Al-Nassr star being a "super athlete".
A recent 3D simulation aimed at giving fans an idea of who would win a race between Bolt, Ronaldo, and an ostrich saw the Jamaican breeze past the Real Madrid legend. But the winner was the flightless bird.
Below are the results of the simulation while you can watch the video on YouTube:
- Ostrich: 7.3 seconds
- Bolt: 9.53 seconds
- Cristiano: 11.22 seconds
It needs to be highlighted that Bolt never really achieved a mark of 9.53 seconds, with his fastest recorded speed 5/100ths of a second slower at 9.58 seconds.
The now 37-year-old had previously expressed sadness when Ronaldo decided to leave Manchester United in late 2022.
"It is sad to see him go, but I understand why after listening to his interview that there is a lot going on that a lot of us don't know about," Bolt told Sky Sports (via SPORTbible).