Sport in United States, particularly the National Football League (NFL), is going through a unique period. The country’s president Donald Trump recently called to punish players who kneel during the national anthem to protest racism. He went to the extent to call the protesting NFL players and owners ‘son of a b****’.
Michael Johnson, four-time Olympic gold medallist and one of America’s most illustrious athletes, however doesn’t want to think too much on those words.
“I personally don’t put a lot of faith or thought on the President’s comments. I don’t think in many cases they are well thought of. I don’t think it properly represents what he truly believes. I don’t think anyone does, because he may say one thing today and the next day he might tell the exact opposite,” Johnson told Hindustan Times.
READ | Donald Trump launches petition against NFL players’ anthem protests
‘There’ll be no other Bolt’
Johnson, who is in India, also talked on athletics. He added that South African Wayde van Niekerk, who broke his 17-year-old 400m record, may be poised to become the next superstar in athletics but he may never be able to take Usain Bolt’s place.
“When someone retires, another person will take his place. So, Van Niekerk will be the No 1 attraction in world athletics. But he won’t be the new Usain Bolt. Just because you are number 1 does not make you Usain Bolt,” Johnson said on the sidelines Royal Stag Barrel Select Perfect Strokes.
{{/usCountry}}“When someone retires, another person will take his place. So, Van Niekerk will be the No 1 attraction in world athletics. But he won’t be the new Usain Bolt. Just because you are number 1 does not make you Usain Bolt,” Johnson said on the sidelines Royal Stag Barrel Select Perfect Strokes.
{{/usCountry}}READ | There will never be another Usain Bolt in athletics: Michael Johnson
“Van Niekerk does not have the electric personality of Bolt. There wasn’t a personality like Usain Bolt before Usain Bolt! Even I was more business-like in my approach. So we may never see another Usain Bolt ever again.”
Johnson, however, said Bolt should have retired after winning the triple gold medal at Rio Olympics.
“I spoke to Usain and advised him to stop after Rio. Because I think after winning double gold medals (100m and 200m) in three editions of Olympics and also winning World Championship, I don’t think you have a lot of motivation left. It is very difficult to win double gold medal in successive editions of Olympics and that too thrice,” said Johnson.