Lewis queries Bolt’s long jump ambitions

LONDON, (Reuters) – Usain Bolt should concentrate  on retaining his Olympic 100 and 200 metres titles before  considering a move into other events, nine times Olympic  champion Carl Lewis said yesterday.

Bolt emulated Lewis by winning gold medals in the 100, 200  and 4×100 metres relay in a single Games at the 2008 Beijing  Olympics. However, the American also won four consecutive long  jump titles.

The Jamaican, who will be the hottest ticket in town at the  London Games next year, said recently he was considering the  long jump and also the 400.

“I think it’s a big enough challenge right now for Usain to  try and win the 100 again,” Lewis told Reuters at a 2012 ticket  launch alongside London’s Tower Bridge.

“For his sake it would be wonderful if he could move into  other events, but long jump? He would find that tough.

“People have to realise that I was a long jumper who  sprinted. It’s a lot more difficult to come from the sprints to  the long jump. If it wasn’t so, a lot more sprinters would  become long jumpers.
“He’s also talking about the 400 metres which would be a  more natural progression. If he does, good luck to him.”

Carl Lewis
Usain Bolt

Bolt, 24, the quickest man ever in the 100 and 200 metres,  will be the man to beat at the world championships in Daegu this  year where he will also be defending both titles.

Dominant as he is, however, Lewis urged caution for those  already pencilling him for a golden haul in London.

“No matter who you are, the thing at the Olympics is that  anything can happen,” the 49-year-old Lewis, his hair now  flecked with grey, said. “I should know because I went to four  of them and something different always did.

POWELL RIVALRY
“And he sure has a great rival right now in Tyson Gay.
“That’s great for the sport, particularly the fans. I won a  lot of 100s but I remember the rivalry I had with Mike Powell in  the long jump when he came along and jumped 29 feet.”

Powell leaped 8.95 metres (29 feet 4-1/2 inches) at the 1991  Tokyo world championships to beat Lewis to the gold medal and  break Bob Beamon’s 1968 world record.

Lewis said Bolt’s stunning performances since 2008 had  raised the bar considerably in the sport.