Usain Bolt expresses admiration for Mondo Duplantis as athletics most dominant biggest star

While sprinters like Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson often dominate the headlines, Usain Bolt, has his eyes on two other athletes he considers the most exciting in track and field today.

In a recent interview with Esquire Middle East, the retired Jamaican legend named pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis and hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone as the sport's current standard-bearers.

"I think the top male and female athletes are Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone," Bolt stated. "They have been winning consistently and breaking records for several years. They always bring their ‘A game’ when it matters."

At just 26, McLaughlin-Levrone is a two-time Olympic champion in the grueling 400-meter hurdles. She has shattered her own world record on multiple occasions, most recently clocking an astonishing 50.37 seconds at the Paris Olympics. Her versatility is equally impressive, having also won a World Championship gold in the flat 400 meters with an American record time.

Sweden's Duplantis has similarly redefined his event. The pole vaulter is a double Olympic champion and a three-time World Champion. However, his true dominance is shown in his relentless pursuit of the world record, which he has broken an incredible nine times since 2020. His current mark stands at a breathtaking 6.26 meters.

For Bolt, whose own legacy was built on delivering historic performances under immense pressure, this ability to consistently excel on the biggest stage is the ultimate mark of greatness. While he acknowledges the captivating showmanship of Lyles and Richardson, he places Duplantis and McLaughlin-Levrone at the pinnacle for their near-perfect execution in their respective disciplines.