Justin Gatlin says that Usain Bolt told him he deserved his gold medal at the World Championships on SaturdayRex FeaturesGatlin won the 100m final as Bolt could only secure a bronzePA:Press Association
Gatlin’s victory in the 100 metres is viewed by many as the worst possible outcome for the sport after the controversial 35-year-old’s double drugs shame earlier in his career.
He was booed by the crowd inside the London Stadium throughout the World Championships, and his win was also met by a chorus of jeers, to which he responded by shushing his detractors.
But Gatlin claims that Bolt was one of the few to congratulate him and even told him he did not deserve the fierce criticism from the stands.
After shocking the world, he said: “It’s just so surreal right now.
“Usain has accomplished so much in our sport and inspired others like Coleman to come out and compete in the championships.
“Usain said ‘congratulations, you deserve it.’ And that’s from the man himself. He said ‘you don’t deserve these boos’. He knows how hard I work. Tonight was all about the W (the win) and I managed to sneak it.”
The controversial American sprinter was loudly booed by the London crowdAlamy Live NewsBut the twice-shamed drugs cheat silenced the jeers to claim victoryRex Features
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When quizzed about the hostility of the UK crowd, Gatlin replied: “It’s not about the crowd: I tuned it out through the rounds and stayed the course.
“I kept my energy through the semis and came to the final to do what I do.
“The people who love me, they’re cheering for me. They’re at home cheering for me and my coaching manager is cheering for me, and that’s what I’ve been focusing on.
Usain Bolt was hoping for a fairytale finish to his careerAlamy Live NewsBut he finished third in his final 100m race behind Gatlin and Christian ColemanAlamy Live NewsGatlin claimed that Bolt also told him he did not deserve any of the boos from the crowdAlamy Live News
“I thought of all the things I would do if I won, and I didn’t do any of that. It was almost like 2004 all over again (for my Olympic title). I won by a little margin, and to be able to come across the line is amazing.”
Despite Bolt’s kind words, not everyone was as happy.
Usain Bolt can only manage a bronze medal as Justin Gatlin wins gold and Christian Coleman gets silver at the World Athletics Championships 2017 in London
European medallist Andy Vernon said on social media: “A disgrace that cheat has been able to compete over the last few years.
“This is everything that is wrong with this sport.”
No fairytale ending for Usain Bolt as he gets bronze behind silver medalist Christian Coleman and winner Justin Gatlin at the World Athletics Championships 2017 in London
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