Usain Bolt: ‘I would have run under 9.5 seconds with super spikes’

The Jamaican legend on the importance of Black Lives Matter, his 800m challenge and lessons of parenthood

The fastest man in history is pondering just how much more destructive he could have been in the super spikes that have swung a wrecking ball at so many world records. Briefly, there is a battle between Usain Bolt the diplomat and Usain Bolt the competitor. The competitor wins. Me and a friend were talking about this the other day," he tells the Guardian. And I was like, should I be upset?' Because I know over the years everyone has tried to make spikes different and better but ..."

Bolt stresses he is not worried about the current crop shredding his 100m world record of 9.58sec or his 200m best of 19.19sec. Yet he sounds uneasy about where the arms race in shoe technology will lead. How can I argue if World Athletics decide that it's legal? I can't do anything about it. The rules are the rules. I don't think I'll be fully happy, but it's just one of those things."