Athletic missteps and likeability

Former athletes Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis were recently asked about Usain Bolt's accomplishments and his chances of winning gold at the upcoming Olympics. Their reaction was less than flattering.

In an interview with London's Evening Standard, Lewis insisted that Bolt would struggle, especially at the shorter sprint, because defending a 100-metre title at the Olympics is no easy task. He, of course, used the opportunity to point out that he's the only man to ever do so, winning gold in 1984 and again in 1988 after Johnson, who crossed the line ahead of him, was exposed as a drug cheat.

"It's very rare to repeat success," said Lewis. "To win two Olympic 100-metre titles, nobody else has ever done it. History defines the greatest. You need longevity and consistency. I had an 18-year career."

When asked what he thought of the Jamaican's world records, Lewis simply said, "Time will tell."

For his part, the dopey Jamaica-born Ben Johnson claimed that if he were running today, he could have matched Bolt's feats.

"I was 50 years ahead of my time," he said. "Bolt now is doing stuff I was capable of. What he's running on, these fast tracks they're building now, I could have run."

Career pitfalls

Both men are entitled to their opinions, but it seems they haven't learnt much from their own missteps.

Johnson, after initially denying accusations that he was on juice, admitted to being a doper and was subsequently stripped of his Olympic gold medal and world-record times.

In 1991, when his initial suspension ended, he tried to make a comeback, but failed to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo that year. He was part of the Canadian Olympic team for Barcelona the next year, but didn't make the finals of his event.

In 1993, Johnson tested positive for excess testosterone and the IAAF banned him for life.

He spent ensuing years trying different ways to make a buck. At one point, he was the football coach for then Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son; and he infamously raced two horses and a stock car in 1998. He even tried launching a clothing line, but it never got out of the blocks.

Lewis, on the other hand, isn't quite the tragic figure Johnson turned out to be. He won nine Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships gold medals. He didn't have the doping issues Johnson did. However, in 2003, a Sports Illustrated article revealed that he tested positive for illegal substances three times before the 1988 Olympics, but was cleared to compete anyway.

Lewis not a people magnet

One of Lewis' biggest problems is that he just isn't likeable. He struggled with this his entire career, and now well into retirement, he's sticking to the same failed game plan.

In his heyday, many people, including his own teammates, thought he was arrogant. The endorsement deals that were going to other athletes at the time, for the most part, didn't come his way. Just before the 1984 Olympics, Coca-Cola offered him a lucrative deal, but he turned it down, thinking he would be worth more after the Games. The company didn't return to him, though.

Lewis endorsed Nike products for a while, but because of his negative image, he was eventually dropped.

Since then, he's been called upon occasionally by sports writers and broadcasters. Now that the Olympics are about to start, he gets his moment to shine again. He remains, though, little more than a footnote in the minds of many sports fans. He isn't that Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Sergey Bubka-type figure who is adored by fans the world over, even in retirement. Ali, despite his legendary tomfoolery and trash-talking, managed to find a balance between bravado and likeability. It's a rare figure who can do this. Lewis isn't one of them.

Bolt, on the other hand, is. We don't know what people will think of him 20 years from now, but his showboating works in his favour. That's why he endorses everything from headphones and luxury watches, to sports drinks and credit cards.

Perhaps Lewis could learn something from the much younger Bolt. Or is it too late?

As for Johnson, well, there's little point in getting into it. He's suffered enough.

A good lesson to be learned from these two is what not to do when you're a sprinter. They may now fade quietly into the sunset and leave us to focus on what will be another smashing Olympic performance by Team Jamaica - no matter what they say.

Robert Lalah is assistant editor - features, and author of the popular 'Roving with Lalah' feature. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com.