Usain Bolt: I know I’m clean

A number of Jamaican track stars have been caught doping, so all eyes were set on the biggest star of the all — Usain Bolt. According to Reuters, Bolt was asked about doping during a meeting in front of the press before competing in a Diamond League meet on Friday, but he played off the question and instructed people to focus on his career as a whole.

“I was hoping that question would come later in the day,” Bolt said. “How long have you been following me — since 2008 maybe? If you’ve been following me since 2002, you would know I’ve been doing phenomenal things since I was 15.

“I was the youngest person to win the world juniors. I ran the world youth record at 17. I’ve broken every record there is in every event I’ve ever done. For me, I’ve proven myself since I was 15. I’m just living out my dream now. I was made to inspire people and made to run. I was given a gift and that’s what I do. I know I’m clean, so I’m just going to continue running and using my talent and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Bolt does have a point.

He has consistently been posting phenomenal times since bursting on to the scene as a young sensation and runners tend to get better through their mid-20s. Athletes that have been caught doping often have a random time in their career where there numbers spike.

After the questions about doping continued to poor in, Bolt eventually wanted to turn the focus back on his upcoming race.

“Hopefully we can move past this,” Bolt said, via Agence France-Presse. “It’s definitely going to set us back a bit as a sport. I just have to focus on the World Championships, run fast, and hopefully make people forget about this.”

Bolt will run the 100-meter in his first return to London since the Olympics. His race at the World Championships will take place on Friday.