Justin Gatlin: When I was competing, I had meaning in my life

Even as a kid in Brooklyn (New York), Justin Gatlin was fast. He may not have been aware of career possibilities in track and field, but he had all the qualities of an athlete.

“When I was young, my life was all about how high I could jump, and how fast I could run. I used to jump over fire hydrants in Brooklyn, and I raced other kids down the neighbourhood streets,” Gatlin said.

“I was much, much faster than all the other kids. I would tell them to get on their bikes, and still defeat them. I knew there was something special in me, even if I did not know that track and field was an organised sport.”

The American, the brand ambassador of the TCS World 10K Bengaluru, would go on to compete and excel in official track events during his high school (Woodham High School, Florida) and college (University of Tennessee) years. His idol was two-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time World Championship winner Maurice Greene.

Gatlin would get his chance to take on Greene on the grandest stage — the 2004 Athens Olympics. Gatlin mentioned that even earning a spot in the USA team for the Olympics was a big feat. “Making it to the 2004 Olympics was a eureka moment. It is especially hard to make it to the

USA team, as we always have a terrific pool of sprinters,” Gatlin said.

At the 2004 United States Olympic trials held in Sacramento, Gatlin finished second in the 100m and 200m events. In the 100m, Gatlin (9.92s) was edged out by Greene (9.91s).

Come Athens, the script was set to change. Despite a slow start, Gatlin took gold in a tight finish, with Francis Obikwelu of Portugal one hundredth behind for the silver medal, and defending champion Greene another hundredth back for the bronze medal.

“I had pictures of Greene all over my wall. I called myself ‘Justin Greene’. One fine day, I woke up at the Olympics start-line alongside the guy who inspired me,” Gatlin said.

Conscious effort

He made a conscious effort not to be overawed by the occasion — a condition that had afflicted him earlier. “The first ever professional 100m race I ran against Greene was an out-of-body experience. I watched in awe as Greene went past me and won. As soon as the race got over, my agent said, ‘You are a professional athlete now. You’re here to win, not watch your idol’. My agent was right,” Gatlin said.

There would be no room for hero worship at Athens, as Gatlin ruined Greene’s bid to win a second straight 100m Olympic gold. “I was happy to carry that sprint torch passed to me by Greene,” Gatlin said.

Greene’s career began to fade from there, even as a new dominant star emerged in Usain Bolt. Bolt, who would become one of the most decorated sprinters of all time, posed a massive challenge to Gatlin and other competitors.

Gatlin and Bolt went face to face on numerous occasions, with the latter frequently emerging on top. Bolt won gold the two times they met at the Olympics (London 2012 and Rio 2016), while Gatlin collected a bronze and a silver medal.

Their rivalry was fierce, fuelled by a contrasting approach to the sport, and life. Gatlin describes himself as intense, adding that on race day, he tried to “zone in, lock in, and become a tiger”. Bolt, on the other hand, was relaxed and jocular in pressure situations.

Universal fan favourite

Superman: When young, it was all about how high Gatlin could jump and how fast he could run.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Bolt’s easy demeanour made him a universal fan favourite. As Bolt’s main rival, the stern-faced Gatlin was painted as the villain.

Gatlin did not help his cause by making boastful claims at the expense of Bolt. Things got heated when Bolt contemplated retirement before Rio 2016, citing a lack of motivation and interest in the sport. Gatlin responded by claiming that he would bring the gold medal back to the USA and showcase it in a grand parade. There were also insinuations that Bolt no longer had the stomach for a fight on the track.

This did not go down well with Bolt. In the documentary ‘I am Bolt’, the protagonist reveals that Gatlin’s comments sparked a fire within him. The Jamaican returned with a vengeance, winning gold at Rio to become the first athlete to win the 100m three times at the Olympics.

Asked if he regretted poking the bear, Gatlin replied, “I don’t regret it at all. If Bolt were to retire, and I had kept going, people would not have seen the best of our rivalry. Our rivalry was needed for the sport and the fans. Everyone wants to see two titans at the top of their game. I was the person to restart the competitor in Bolt, because I am a competitor myself. I want to be able to compete against the best Bolt, every single time.”

As much as he would like his legacy to centre around his rivalry with Bolt, there is the big issue of doping that blighted Gatlin’s career. He served two doping bans — the first in 2001 for testing positive for amphetamines, and the second in 2006 for testing positive for testosterone.

Gatlin does not shy away from taking questions on his doping offences. He even puts a positive spin on this embarrassment, stating that the time he served in suspension only made him that much more eager to return as a better athlete.

Being forced to sit out of the sport, however, did cause mental turmoil.

“When I was competing, I had meaning in my life. When I was suspended, I had to question myself — ‘Who am I? Who is Justin?’ It was hard for me to emotionally navigate through those four years (the second suspension). At the same time, physically, I yearned to be out there on the track. When I finally got past all those depressing moments, it actually lit a fire in me. I became firm in my belief that I have to be the person who controls my own destiny. I bet on myself, and that was the best way to go,” Gatlin said.

After nearly two decades as a professional athlete, Gatlin hung up his boots earlier this year. The 40-year-old made the announcement on social media, after failing to make it to the USA track team for the Tokyo Olympics.

“After the Olympic trials, I laid in bed and cried. My whole career was centred around Olympic success. And then one day, all that was finished. Now I have to move on to a new journey,” Gatlin said.