Usain Bolt: I am happy to be considered a legend of sport

The former Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter in history and eight-time Olympic champion, said on Wednesday that he is happy to be considered a legend of sport like the Argentine Diego Maradona, the Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento "Pelé," or the American boxer Muhammad Ali.

"There are many legends of sport. I always dreamed of being named alongside great champions like Maradona, Pelé, Muhammad Ali, and glories of this level. I cannot name just one (as the greatest of all time), there are many," Bolt said in an interview published on Wednesday by the Italian newspaper "La Gazzetta dello Sport."

"I am happy to be considered among these legends of sport," continued the Jamaican, the fastest man in the world in the 100 meters (9.58 seconds) and the 200 meters (19.19).

Bolt acknowledged that he realized he had the potential to become one of the greatest athletes in history at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, after winning his first gold medal.

"I started to understand it in 2008 in Beijing, after winning my first Games. In that case, my coach told me 'Usain, if you work hard, you will become one of the best of all time. If you keep training, you will be one of the best in the world,' and he was right," he said.

He also admitted that he would like to accompany, albeit as a simple fan, the Jamaican team at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

"I would really like to, although it depends on what happens in the coming months. I would like to go to Japan, so if the Games are confirmed, as I hope, I will do everything to go, because I would love to be in the stands as a fan," he said.

"I experienced the last editions on the track, now I would like to understand what it feels like to watch others run," he concluded.

A big football enthusiast, Bolt chose Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus over Argentine Lionel Messi from Barcelona as his favorite player.

"It is difficult to choose because I like the Argentine national team, but I also appreciate Cristiano since he played for Manchester United, which I am a fan of. I think Cristiano has something more because he has shown his worth in Italy, Spain, and England," he said.

"Personally, I would say Cristiano. And there are very interesting young players, like (the Frenchman) Kylian Mbappé, who is growing a lot," he added. EFE