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Carl Lewis says Usain Bolt still has work to do

usain bolt

(Sporting Alert) — American and Olympic sprint legendary Carl Lewis isn’t quite convinced that Usain Bolt is truly as great as everyone is preaching and claimed that he wants to see what happen a few years from now.

Bolt, the world record holder over both the 100m and 200m dashes, set a new Olympic record and the second fastest time ever in defending his Olympic title with a 9.63 seconds performances in London on Sunday night and silenced his critics.

Bolt’s achievement also saw him joining Lewis as only the second man to repeat such a feat, and while the American praised the Jamaican gold medal outing, he said that the 25-year-old has to continued to excel at the highest level to enhance his legacy.

“He was an Olympic champion last night. He repeats and he’s tremendous and he’s the second person to do it and congratulations,” he told CNN-IBN.

“The thing for me, what I really admire about anyone, is longevity. We still have to have the longevity and dominance through the era because for me performance-wise, you really have to put longevity in.

“I’m really not trying to take anything away from his [Bolt’s] performance because it was tremendous, but you’ve got to see the consistency over a period of time because as of now it’s just a four-year period and you really have to see a continuous dominance. We’ll see.”

He added: “You know, time and history defines it. We can’t define it when we’re in it. You have to be able to look back on it.

“And that’s the great thing about Jesse Owens; because here we are 76 years later and we’re still talking about Jesse Owens.”

169 thoughts on “Carl Lewis says Usain Bolt still has work to do”

  1. Avatar

    Carl lewis is a hater, Carl didn’t achieve an Olympic 100m dash repeat, he only got the gold after Ben Johnson got a drugs band. What I understand and realise that Carl will always have an excuse or something new to say after Usain as proven him wrong. Carl one thing I need to say is give credit where it’s due and stop making excuses.

  2. Avatar

    bwoy, di man carl so red-eye and bad mind. him just a sore loser which is why dem did nab johnson an him get di medal by default. and as we know, im was suspect too. he have no shame. bahh!

  3. Avatar

    Load of foolishness Carl lewis, bolt as past longevity, he was around as a junior, still has the record odor junior over 200m. You americans are something else. No one in the history of olympic 100 m have rewrite the record. He is already a living LEGEND.

  4. Avatar

    Sorry Carl. Logevity and sportsmanship go a long way in creating a legacy and Mr Usain Bolt has both. Yes, people will remember Bolt and Owens for their great feats of athletics. You, Mr Lewis, will be remembered as an egotistical, self-promoting, pompous, bitter fool with self-defeating sense of grandeur. No on wants to or will follow your footsteps…purposely.

  5. Avatar

    Bitter, Bitter, Bitter. I wonder if these Americans -Maurice Greene, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson have any shame when they speak the way they do. Remember that Carl lewis was caught drug cheating three times and because he is american, got cleared. Disgusting!

  6. Avatar

    Gee tell us how you really feel, don't hold anything back! haha. When they caught Ben Johnson cheating, who was always right on his heels? A coincidence, I think not!

  7. Avatar
    Helen Ann Matthews

    …and two hundred years we will still be talking about Usain Bolt. What is wrong with you?

  8. Avatar

    I was waiting for this, a bitter former American athlete talking HOGPISS. Carl Lewis go eat dry dog sh*t do. History is there to show he is much better than you were in the 100 & 200, and without drugs as well.

  9. Avatar

    Mr. Lewis has become what every black man in America has suffered from for 200 hundred years… the bigot. I his case it is in believing that America is the only nation that can produce greatness. he need to remember that what he seek to do to Bolt now, is what many Americans would other white men would have said of Jesse Owens after the 1936 Olympics. it is only recently that african Americans have been embraced by the mainstream of their nation and already it seems that they have forgotten about the struggle. Mr. Bolt does need your doubts, but I know he's appreciate your affirmation, from one black champion to another.

  10. Avatar

    What idiot Carl Lewis don't realize is that we have the toxicology (technology) to pull his samples from 20 years and prove how much 'Juice'and which one him use to use…..so him better shut up!!!

  11. Avatar

    Please take Johnson's name out…he is a well respected guy who was very talented and knows talent also.

  12. Avatar

    Yip and its very sad when it comes from a 3 time drug cheat who only escaped because politics. But I guess he has to make himself relevant in these days when most people forgot who the a## he was. Stupid man!!

  13. Avatar

    Dont mind de ugly buller…… them cant deal with de Carbbean bosses…..Oh ugly b*tch….,. I done before I get started……He is the King of the 100m DRUG FREE and we have more Caribbeans in training. Now if he is not that great he want to see another level fa all dem start eating da one another more rapidly…..stupssseeee let he eta e dry dog sh*t in truth….

  14. Avatar

    Carl Lewis is a drug infested bigot who does not know when to tek whey himself. His major worry now is he will not be remembered but who the hell his he anyway.

  15. Avatar

    Typical American black man. Carl Lewis is a want to be HATER…. All his hate is diminishing his own successes, which his conscience cant let him take total credit for…I can't believe he's getting paid to make comments like those.

  16. Avatar

    Al Phang My dad worked in the lab that did his test and he was positive…I would tell him exactly what drug (there were two) he was taking and his official doc#

  17. Avatar

    Carl on CNN-IBN (India) yesterday was trying too hard to cover his agony. Here is another American proving yet again that being kicked hard by the Jamaicans really hurts…ouch! perhaps much painful than any one of us can imagine. So let him wither in pain..sorry Carl we offer our deep Sympathies for you and of course our sincere condolences for the demise of the so called "American Sprint supremacy'. Firstly, not to acknowledge Bolts as a great sprinter is cheap & unsporting but saying that Bolt was able to win with a handsome lead because the other sprinters slowed down only shows how sick you are, presume that's how strongly Bolt has hit you where it hurts the most. Hope you get well soon Carl. Way to go Jamaica..the whole of India is with you.

  18. Avatar

    All your comments have summed up everything that I would like to say about “Jealous Carl” very nicely, he will die a bitter man while Bolt continues to save track and field from the mess that he was a part of and participant in…BOLT to the world !!!!!

  19. Avatar
    Farai Mhurudzekunze

    Carl Lewis is not ashamed of himself to utter such words he must acknowledge that Bolt is on another level. Bolt is a talented fellow just like Lionel Messi is to soccer.

  20. Avatar

    Bolt said it and did it…an inspiration to a nation and has made his name and established a legacy…it is not for you to say he is great…it is not for you to bestow upon him a title or a crown…you earned your medal under questionable circumstance… how dare you! USAIN has done it just deal with it.

  21. Avatar

    first thing remember sanya richards-ross is JAMAICAN.ok lower case carl lewis, maurice green and edwin moses remember you all second class citizens of you all nation. ok carl lewis yuh win by default in both 84 /88.FOR ONCE CARL LEWIS SHUT YU MOUTH AND MEK PEOPLE THINK YU HAVE A LITTLE SENSE.

  22. Avatar

    I want someone to tell this half idiot to stop stressing over Usain.U R Plain BADMINDED and thats ur major problem.We are not responsible for the gray hairs u r see in places u r not comfortable with.Face it "U R OLD"…ur name is DED give a man a chance to bear the name.Go to bed and sleep sweet u silly head.USAIN name LIVES..jamaica seh so

  23. Avatar

    A reminder to Carl Lewis, a true champion behaves as such long after the glory days have passed.Why don't you lend your expertise to the American team since you know so much.Cultivate some grace and sportsmanship!

  24. Avatar

    Its bad not only to lose the timing but also the tag of "fastest man(ape) on the planet 🙂

  25. Avatar

    No youth, she a sey ben get catch and Carl Lewis was behind him like as if Carl Lewis wasn't using drugs too…how mi fi have bad mind behind Bolt, a mad yu mad.

  26. Avatar

    I am a proud jamaican born and raised in jamaica and it was expected that former wash up U.S athlete Carl Lewis would have something bad to say about World record holder Usian Bolt since they can't find any dirt to place on him, he is saying we should have more random drug test because usian bolt ran faster at d olympics than his druggedup u.s. athlete who have been tested positive for drugs on countless occasion that's why they have to do random checks on your athlete because they will never be as good as jamaican unless they drug up, Usian Bolt would never jeopardize his world record world career that his way better than any other U.S athlete now, what carl lewis needs to do is start focusing on his athlete that's been band over and over again and strip of there medals for failing the drug test on a regular basis and just show respect were respect his dew, because if it was any of his u.s athlete's that was performing so good he would never have any complaints. so I will close off by saying to carl lewis stop being a sore loser didn't they teach you about good sportsmanship if micheal johnson did it way can't you.

  27. Avatar

    Carl need to man up….get real with himself, seems like he's still carrying his baby milk, like a spoil child, always have a problem when things not his way.beehhhh….:)

  28. Avatar
    Stino Blessed Nitsua

    Rohan u dnt read before you comment and its obvious lol..I wrote that because of what Carl Lewis said,and what Susan wrote was based on what Carl Lewis said too…so you need to think before you write or should I say read lol.

  29. Avatar

    Stino, you need to think before you write, you wrote "Bad mind da bredda here have" you did not mention who specifically you was talking about, obvious now it is Carl Lewis not me, it would have be better if you wrote "Bad mind the drug bouy Carl Lewis here have lol", so you obviously need to make yourself more clear before writing lol….anyway we a yardie still so everyting cool.

  30. Avatar
    Christine Radcliffe

    no sah dah bredda ya badmind eehh…he was on drugs his whole career soo he should just shut up, him no have no chat ya so! JAMAICA GO HAAD AN DUN DEM AGO TYAD FI SEE WI FACE!

  31. Avatar

    Why black man haffi deal wid each otha suh. A man entitled to him opinion, but this is sickening. This is why black people can't go very far, we lack UNITY. I bet Carl never looked at Marian Jones and d rest of american athletes that were caught and said this.

    Very sad, bawl like bwoi.

  32. Avatar

    Carl Lewis you are a disgrace.you thinnk you are a legend? my a##.Bolt has done far much better than you.why cant you appreciate.Bolt is going to be remembered for the next 200 years.i will definately tell my grand children and they too will tell someone.Bolt you are the man.carl you are crap.

  33. Avatar

    Carl Lewis can go to hell, just a bitter old man who can't stand to see his 'achievements' been eclipse by a new generation. What ever bit of honour you had you have just manage to taint it with those hate filled statements. Your a relic of the pass Lewis, go and decay away!

  34. Avatar
    Shannon Aris-Johnally

    No surprise here! If an American did what Bolt did there would be no questions, just praises.Sad for you Bolt is Jamaican and that's the bottom line he is not an American…………BAD MIND IS AN AWFUL THING.If you cannot be honest then shame on you!

  35. Avatar
    Donovan UwiRugby Jackson

    sigh, carl lewis still trying to find ways of making the americans seem like the dominant nation in sprinting, Bolt has already done something no one has ever done, which is capture the 100 m gold with back to back olympic records.

    50 years from now people will still be amazed that he accomplished that.

  36. Avatar

    Carl Lewis is drinking too much ''HATERADE''..He hates the fact that new TALENTS has come along without doping..Carl when you did your thing a lot of us cheered u on, so let Bolt bask in his GLORY.If this is the way to get back into the MEDIA SPOTLIGHT, big mistake. So step aside and let new talents from another country reign..We are tired of seeing you all over the media disrespecting the young man..Hmmm! Lets see, did they ever strip anyone of their MEDALS from JAMAICA? NOT…PEACE!

  37. Avatar

    Crab in a barrel mentality Carl, your shameful past still is still much known, but despite you got your brake to celebrate… ease off now and don't stir us up. Miserable old man…your views will not define our sporting great!

  38. Avatar
    Romeo BlackUp Reid

    I read the story!, this carl lewis is big hater…bolt sealed him name as legend back in beijing…he defied the law of physics,having scientist doing research. Carl Lewis, is a old jealous batty man and that's the worst thing to be. Mi nuh really rate bolt,mi rate asafa more…but bolt is the greatest show man ever. A same Michal Johnson use to talk bout how bolt can't brake the 200 m,he is too tired…bolt rub out the man record…who a bolt biggest fan now!!!!. Low dem ole rass bwoy, a fi we worl now!!!!. Him blackup!!!.

  39. Avatar

    Carl your comments are rather spiteful and idiotic. There it is the great USA has randomn drug testing but yet still the likes of you, Marion Jones and even YOUR bronze medalist Justin Gatlin’s….only to name a few tested positive. Hmmm and by the way just to point out again Sanya Ricards Ross IS A JAMAICAN!!!! Maybe we should test her too? It’s people like you who try to keep people from being the best but to backfire on you….you have managed to taint whatever memory people have of you. Shut up silly man!

  40. Avatar

    carl Lewis eat pure sh*t so that is why it comes out of his mouth he is an athlete that ran on drugs the whole drug ting done they the americans have deprived soo many athletes of earning medals fairly because of their drugged up self. Jamaicans are here to stay we not going no where is not only in athletics they losing dominance they will soon see what happens the world is no longer afraid of america nor looking to america as saviour.

  41. Avatar

    I agree. Micheal Johnson has a lot of respect for Jamaicans. He is cool. It is Carl Lewis that needs to be dethroned.

  42. Avatar
    Cheryl Tjok A Tam

    who is Carl Lewis to be speaking about longevity exactly. He does not understand what Jesse Owens represented at the Olympics…speed was just 1 factor but it certainly isn't the story that has us still talking 76 years later.

  43. Avatar

    he can't stop the hate. BC bolt is only 25. and can 3 peat in RIO at the age of 29.. idiot bwoy

  44. Avatar

    Johnson has never disrespected Bolt. I am Jamaican, and I love Michael for that. He gives praise where it is due.

  45. Avatar

    Is Carl Lewis serious. Read another article where he is hinting at drug use by the Jamaicans! This from a man who escaped drug use accusations and was actually caught. First it was that Bolt had to prove himself and could not repeat his winning ways….the Americans would reclaim athletic glory….now they are getting some serious licks its something else…bitter, pompous jackass….never liked him!

  46. Avatar

    usain bolt is the KING of sprint! this endless ranting by u says more about u than it does KING Bolt! now gtfoh!

  47. Avatar

    I expected that from the idiot. If that were true Bolt would have been found out long ago. Carl Lewis can't begin to understand why a CARIBBEAN man whips his US counterparts so badly. Soon we will also hear that Kirani James is taking drugs too. Tell the Americans that change is here to stay and that CHANGE is from the Caribbean whether they like it or not.

  48. Avatar

    Carl Lewis is sour because Bolt has surpassed his 'greatness', and rather than commend the performance and wish Bolt well like Michael Johnson does with class, Carl is resentful. Shame on him – Olympians don't diss other Olympians based on speculation

  49. Avatar

    I understand carl's misguided logic. even with drugs he, carl lewis, couldnt do it so anyone who does better has to be on drugs too. its difficult having your name on the end of everyone's tongue one minute and being totally forgotten the next. I feel sorry for carl but i understand his situation. atleast he was able to get his name in a few papers. poor chap

  50. Avatar

    I guess Carl did not realize that all dem Caribbean boys packing rocket propellas in their tights!! Tell him its a West Indian thing, stop hating!!

  51. Avatar

    I am so confused by Mr Lewis comment. Jesse Owens competed in the 1936 Berlin olympics and to my knowledge he never competed in any other olympics Hence Jesse Owens competed in only one olympic. How does Mr Lewis definition of “longevity” fit into all this? Jesse Owen is a GREAT athlete no doubt about that, so is Usain Bolt who have thus far competed in two olympics and have shown why he is without a doubt the GREATEST sprinter the world knows. Not Carl Lewis but Usain Bolt!!!. Mr Lewis your reasoning does not make sense but then again, what can you expect from one angry and envious black man. As an “American” legend you should be supportive of another man’s effort and applaud others to achieve not the American legend status but the same status that Jesse Owens and now Usain Bolt have since achieve. World Legend status. Get use to the none-attention Mr Lewis. Usian time now. Carl Lewis who?!?

  52. Avatar
    Ian Walcott-Skinner

    Usain's career didn't start with the Beijing Olympics. That was the culmination of years of practice and training. At 15 yrs old, a young Bolt got silver medals (200m & 400m) at the 2001 CARIFTA games in Barbados. At 25 yrs old, he has more than earned his stripes and can retire from the sport if he so desires. His 2012 performance in the 100m is actually a new Olympic record, just a mere split second off his own world record. I'm not sure which planet Carl Lewis is on or if he's accompanied this young gifted athlete like the rest of us.
    If we're still talking about Jesse Owens, only history will tell if 76 yrs from now, we will be talking about Usain.
    Oh BTW who the… is talking about Carl Lewis? Or is this his way to remain in the news?
    @ Carl Lewis – Silence is golden!

  53. Avatar

    You should just leave Carl alone. He is seeking attention but so damn dunce doesnt realize his past will come up. Dirty drugs cheat his medals should be taken away like the others. Now that the testing change they are struggling to even medal. Carl was positive he should shut up shows he is dumb Nothing between his ears

  54. Avatar

    Is that the same carl lewis? he is old! I heard that he was dead! He seemed to a very bitter person.

  55. Avatar

    Mr Lewis should thank his trainer that the drugs could not be traced. Now that the sport is almost drug free we are winning and he cant take it. We in the Caribbean don't give a sh*t what he thinks.

  56. Avatar

    carl lewis you are a embarrassment to black people. keep your mouth shut, your season has passed..

  57. Avatar

    It’s time that Carl Lewis starts to appreciate greatness and stop mourning because the whole world currently rejoices with Usain the Great, the greatest athlete of our time!

  58. Avatar
    Sprang DiConscious Green

    Carl, take a trip to Jamaica and seh summa dis bullshit and si how wi deal wid yuh rass!!!

  59. Avatar

    DwL!!…if him eva plan fi go d whole a JA a kno before him even left US fi come a yard….mi kno the whole news station dem ago carry it.

  60. Avatar

    LMAO….. americans…so predictable….dem badmind eeh… I am so proud of my jamaican athletes… mek dem know seh in a jamaica wi nu need fi use drugs…everything natural!!!!

  61. Avatar

    Bolt need to be careful of these badminded Athlethes. They will “spike” him just to prove a point. “Nuh nyam nutten fram dem”

  62. Avatar

    Carl Lewis is a fraud……. The only reason he escaped the drug scandal in 1984, was because his trainers had more expertise in hiding his drug use. His tests were never made public, other than that he had "passed".
    It was obvious that he too was using.
    Canada used Ben Johnson as a "sacrificial lamb" to hide their shame. He was not the only member of their track team that was using, but was their poster child for this bad behavior. While winning everything in sight, he was called "Canada's Ben Johnson" in the media. Once the drug scandal broke, he was referred to as "Jamaican born Ben Johnson".
    Moral of this is "Never forget from where you come". (no matter where you now live.

  63. Avatar
    Sprang DiConscious Green

    Carl Lewis is a f**…nothing else. He need to stop talking about Bolt. He is bitter because had someone not lost a medal due to doping he Bolt would have been the only one to repeat the feat…For me, if Bolt wins the 200m and he will be number 1.

  64. Avatar

    Well said my Jamaican sister. I am not Jamaican but I am a very proud Caribbean man (from the Parish of Barbados) and mi seh if ya touch one Caribbean person in malice meh seh ya haffi touch all, and only God can save ya a##. One Blood every and all time. Respect.

  65. Avatar

    Right now mi jus wah tell the bredda yah some real Jamaican badwud, Leave our athletes alone and talk about your drug induced athletes, Ya'll have a history of Drug use, You, Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, I could go on forever. I remember how Merlene Ottey had to work so hard only to see her 1st place taken away by drug lord marion jones. Now sir, your time has come and gone, Bolt is the best there has ever been and when someone comes around to change that we will congratulate them, no matter their nationality. You can't stand pure talent. Now him go sit yo a## in a retirement home and shut the hell up… As we say in Jamaica "Badmine Active". There has never been any Jamaican athlete in history that has anything bad to say about any other athlete unless it was true, and even then, they wouldn't say it. Everyday I see your f*ing face on my monitor saying something bad about our lightning bolt…Hear weh mi a seh, Hold a decent F*ck off and move u bumbo….

  66. Avatar

    Bolt actually started as a junior doing great times and winning medals. This is Bolt third Olympics,He competed in the 200m in Athens… Bolt presence on the world stage is approaching 10 years. What more do you need Carl?

  67. Avatar
    Proud to be Jamaica

    If he retires today he’ll still be the fastest to ever run the 100m, the fastest to ever run the 200m, part of two 4 x 100m relay world records, and the first man to defend his 100 and 200 Olympic titles successfully. I wonder, WHAT will we remember him for?

  68. Avatar

    Carl, wat do u have to say now? u sorry u could never be a living legend, i mean this great?
    u keep ur mouth shut now!! JAMAICA TO DI WORL!!!!

  69. Avatar

    Bolt’s performances doesn’t need to be validated by carl lewis or anyother jealous naysayer.
    The olympic games are watched by over 2 billion people, the world will give Bolt his due.

  70. Avatar

    As if Carl Lewis didn’t juice. Hypocrite at the highest level.

    I don’t care for Bolt’s braggadocio, that smack talk about greatest ever will probably come back and smack him in the face. He was getting waxed this summer on a consistent basis but obviously came back to redeem himself when it counted most.

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