By Clare Forrester

Some US journalists have chided Bolt for his criticisms of Carl Lewis, suggesting that it may have hurt his whistle-clean image and huge sponsorship-drawing potential, especially in the US.

But I’m not sure about that, as Lewis’s image may be presently in the doldrums, especially as information about his repeated positive dope tests have resurfaced. Besides, Lewis has never been a favourite of fans globally, not even in the USA.

Beyond that reality, however, Bolt’s comments did not emerge ‘out of the blue’ as suggested by one journalist, who wrote that the Jamaican had simply switched from talking about his legend status to deliver a scorching criticism of Lewis. It was nothing of the sort based on what I heard.

Bolt was responding to a question about how he compared his achievements with other sports icons such as Carl Lewis, Jessie Owens and Muhammad Ali and which he considered role models. The fact that Lewis had been widely quoted expressing scepticism about Bolt’s achievements, few would have expected the Jamaican to have a favourable view of the American. The question was a carry-over one by the same set of US journalists, who had sat in on the decathlon medallists’ press conference immediately proceeding that briefing. In response, Bolt said that of those named, especially as a track and field man himself, and given his enormous contribution to his country, Jessie Owens had the edge; also that the great Muhammad Ali was great. He then volunteered his unfavourable impression of Lewis. “What I’m about to say will be controversial,” he warned. “I have no respect for Carl Lewis.”

“The things he says about the track athletes are very downgrading. I think he’s just looking for attention because nobody really talks about him. I’ve lost all respect for him.”

At the earlier medallists’ press conference for the decathletes, the journalists had asked the gold medallist US athlete Ashton Eaton, ‘whom do you consider the greatest athlete in the world, yourself or Bolt?’ Eaton’s teammate Trey Harding, the silver medallist, was quick to respond calling it for Eaton. “Ashton is the best athlete to ever walk the planet, hands down.” However, Eaton modestly said: “There’s no fight. Usain is clearly awesome. He’s an icon in his own right. Titles are for books.”

In that context Bolt was later asked the same question to which he responded without any hesitation that he considered himself a great athlete, “but to do 10 events, especially the 1,500 — the metric mile — come on, I’ve got to give it to him”.

Both his medal-winning training partners, however, paid homage to Bolt as their senior partner and a true legend. Blake said that while he gave his first Olympic appearance his best shot, “this was now Bolt’s time and he truly deserves his triumphs”.

Any effort by Lewis to ‘rain on Bolt’s parade’ is unlikely to be successful as presently, the Jamaican legend has the international press eating out of his hands as is evidenced by the massively favourable coverage he is getting. It is obvious that his face on the covers and or insides of newspapers, magazines, as well as on the mass media, must be attracting strong audiences because it is ever present at every turn. Today, The Times of London has a full front-page photograph of him in full stride with a one-line caption: “Cool Runnings.” No matter how late his press conferences are held, even following lengthy delays, the majority of journalists seem all too willing to stick around till the very end.

He is one of a kind, at least for now. Only he could risk damaging his super-sized image by taking on a US icon like Lewis, and have even US journalists agreeing with him.