Usain Bolt Sidesteps Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson as He Names Two Biggest Stars in Track and Field

Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has dismissed the assertion that track and field has lost its allure since top stars like him Justin Gatlin and Yohan Blake left the scene.

Bolt, considered the greatest sprinter of all-time, was the major attraction before his retirement in 2017 and even now, it is believed that he pulls in more numbers at his events than active athletes.

At his prime, there were also big names like Gatlin, Blake, Tyson Gay as well as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who retired last year, Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Veronica Campbell-Brown among others.

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However, in recent years, American Noah Lyles has been the most vocal and colourful sprinter with Sha’Carri Richardson also adding umph to the sport but there are those who feel athletics has lost colour, something Bolt disagrees with.

“I don’t think interest in track and field is declining,” Bolt said as quoted by The National. “We had a great World Championships in Tokyo with exciting competition and full stadiums for every session. I think there is talent out there.”

Bolt then named pole vault star Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis and American sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone as enough proof that the sport still possesses superstars, declaring them as the biggest track and field stars in the world currently.

“Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levorne are probably the biggest stars in the sport at the moment – both are exceptionally talented athletes,” he added.

“I think the fans don’t need to see records, but like to see good genuine competition between the top athletes. If an athlete is winning and attracting attention the fans will watch.”

Duplantis, a two-time Olympics gold medalist and three-time world champion, has become a global phenomenon due to the ease at which he has been breaking records, with 14 world records to his name by October 2025.

McLaughlin-Levorne, meanwhile, is also the Olympics and world 400m hurdles record holder and has two Olympics gold medals over distance as well as a world title. She added the 400m world title to her name at the 2025 World Championships, breaking the US record and running the fastest time in nearly 40 years, after clocking 47.78 seconds.