Rio 2016: Usain Bolt says Rio is his last Olympics

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt told a press conference Monday that he will break 19 seconds for 200m at 2016 Rio, which will be his last Olympics. / Yonhap

By Hong Dam-young

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt confirmed that the Rio Olympics will be his last.

“Yes, this is the last Olympics for sure,” he told a press conference Monday. “I have done everything, and have proven myself.”

He said he would “really, really” like to set a world record by breaking 18 seconds for the 200 meters. He holds the record at 19.19 seconds.

“I've always wanted to run a sub-19, so I'm really focused on that,” he said. Bolt also holds the world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100 and set a 36.84-second record in the 4x100 relay.

After winning gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100-meter relay at the 2008 Beijing Games and 2012 London Games, he now aims to complete a “triple triple” of gold medals at his last Olympics.

He said his sprints in Rio would be drug-free, in light of the recent Russian doping scandal. His sprint rivals, Americans Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt, have both served drug bans.

“I think we're going in the right direction, I must say,” Bolt said. “I think we're weeding out the bad ones. We have to go through a rough time before we get to the good times.”