Usain Bolt says modern shoes give unfair edge
TOI World Desk | TOI Global Desk | Sep 11, 2025, 22:48 IST
Usain Bolt believes today’s advanced sprinting shoes give modern athletes an unfair edge. He said he could have run 9.42 seconds in the 100m using "super-spikes." Despite footwear improvements, Bolt doubts current sprinters will break his 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds. He cited Fraser-Pryce's progress as proof of impact.
Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has said that today’s running shoes give modern sprinters an unfair advantage. Speaking at a Puma event ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo, Bolt said he could have run the 100 meters in 9.42 seconds if he had used the latest “super-spikes.” His current world record stands at 9.58 seconds, set in 2009, and remains unbeaten after 16 years.
Bolt said he fully agrees with a study by Puma that suggested his time could have been faster with new footwear. “I probably would have run way faster if I had continued, and if I knew the spikes would reach this level, maybe I would have. It would have been great to compete at that level and run that fast,” he said.
He also referred to fellow Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as an example of how much the new shoes help. “Someone who continued after I retired was Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and I saw what she did—she got faster with the spikes,” he added. The “super-spikes” are said to provide more grip and energy return, giving athletes a clear advantage on the track.
Bolt retired from professional athletics in 2017 after a historic career. He won eight Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championship titles across the 100m and 200m events. His dominance lasted nearly a decade, and since his double-gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, no Jamaican male sprinter has won a global sprint title.
While Bolt believes there is talent in the new generation of athletes, he doubts they will break his 100m world record anytime soon. “I think the talent is there and those who are coming up will do well, but at this present moment, I don’t think they will be able to break the world record,” he said.
Bolt said he fully agrees with a study by Puma that suggested his time could have been faster with new footwear. “I probably would have run way faster if I had continued, and if I knew the spikes would reach this level, maybe I would have. It would have been great to compete at that level and run that fast,” he said.
He also referred to fellow Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as an example of how much the new shoes help. “Someone who continued after I retired was Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and I saw what she did—she got faster with the spikes,” he added. The “super-spikes” are said to provide more grip and energy return, giving athletes a clear advantage on the track.
Bolt retired from professional athletics in 2017 after a historic career. He won eight Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championship titles across the 100m and 200m events. His dominance lasted nearly a decade, and since his double-gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, no Jamaican male sprinter has won a global sprint title.
While Bolt believes there is talent in the new generation of athletes, he doubts they will break his 100m world record anytime soon. “I think the talent is there and those who are coming up will do well, but at this present moment, I don’t think they will be able to break the world record,” he said.