Rio Olympics 2015: Usain Bolt’s incredible 400m boast

THE greatest Olympic sprinter of all time is never short on confidence but this claim is next level, even for him.

USAIN Bolt said he would love to take on new 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk in a 300m match race after they dominated the Rio track on Tuesday.

“I would really like to compete against him over 300m, that would be good,” said Bolt. “That would be a good race.”

Footage emerged after the race of Bolt’s reaction when Van Niekerk ran a world record 43.03 s from lane 8, shattering Michael Johnson’s world record.

“I was around the back (of the track) and they were saying, ‘who’s gonna win?’ I was like ‘Van Niekerk’s definitely gonna win. From lane eight, the way he runs, it’s gonna be brilliant,” Bolt said.

“When he got the world record, I was like ‘wow, he did it’

‘I told him in Jamaica when he was there ... ‘my coach says you’re probably the only guy around right now, other than me, that can break this 400m world record’, because he’s got speed, he’s got strength and he came out here and proved me right.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates after crossing the finish line of the Men's 100m Final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“It was brilliant, I’m really happy for him and I’m really proud of him.”

Say what? Bolt, never been short on confidence, believes he could have taken down Johnson’s legendary time of 43.18 if he had been bothered.

“If was running the 400 …. If it was up to my coach I’d be running the 400m right now. I’ve always bobbed and weaved to try and find ways not to run it. He always said I could break the 400m world record because I have [the talent] it was always a possibility, if I did the 400m.”

Bolt has run the distance but seldom, setting his PB at 45.38 in 2007 in Kingston Jamaica.

His most recent competitive 400m was 46.44 in 2013. At the 300m, not an officially recognised time by the IAAF, Bolt has the second best on record of 30.97. Only Michael Johnson beats him with 30.85. Van Niekerk’s 300m best is 31.03 sec.

Van Kierkerk said the 200m was is favourite race but he decided not to do the double in Rio. Bolt is aiming for his third straight 100m-200m double when the 200m starts Thursday AEST.

Originally published as Rio Olympics 2015: Usain Bolt’s incredible 400m boast