Usain Bolt has called out American sprinter Noah Lyles for allegedly joking "Usain Bolt who?" in the past.
The eight-time Olympic gold medallist demanded that Lyles "put some respect on my name" during an appearance on the Ready, Set, Go podcast.
Bolt's comments come after Lyles secured his place in Olympic history by winning 100m gold at Paris 2024.
Despite Lyles' recent success, Bolt appeared irritated by what he perceived as disrespect from the American star.
Usain Bolt was not happy with Noah Lyles' comments
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The Jamaican legend, who still holds the world record in both 100m and 200m, retired eight years ago but remains the benchmark for sprinting excellence.
Speaking on the podcast with former rival Justin Gatlin, Bolt recounted his reaction to Lyles' alleged comment.
"I remember when he [Lyles] just came out and he said, 'Usain Bolt who?', I was like, 'Bro, stop it,'" Bolt said.
The Jamaican sprinter rarely responds to such comments but felt compelled to address this one.
"I normally don't say anything, but I was like, 'If you don't know who Usain Bolt is you're in the wrong sport,'" he continued.
Bolt was direct in his message to the American. "So stop acting. Put some respect on my name," he told Gatlin.
Bolt acknowledged that Lyles later claimed his comment was misunderstood.
"He said he didn't mean it like that, but I respect everybody and understand you've got to aim high and you want to break records," Bolt explained.
The Jamaican emphasised the importance of respecting predecessors in the sport.
"But I would never disrespect anyone [these sprinters]," he said.
Bolt highlighted the role earlier athletes played in developing the sport.
Noah Lyles won gold at the 2024 Olympics in the 100m
PA
"These are the guys who set the platform for you to come down and add to it to be better," he noted.
He added: "I would never say anything bad about these guys before me because they're the guys who really built the platform and then we add to it, make it greater and compete."
Despite his criticism, Bolt revealed he would include Lyles in his dream 100m lineup.
However, his reasoning came with a competitive edge.
"Let's give Lyles a spot just because I'd love to race against him. I'd love to beat him," Bolt quipped.
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Usain Bolt did challenge Noah Lyles to a race
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The legendary sprinter's dream race would feature an impressive collection of talent.
Alongside himself and Lyles, Bolt named Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Tyson Gay, Maurice Greene and Ben Johnson.
This hypothetical race would bring together some of the greatest sprinters across different eras.
Each athlete named has left their mark on the sport's history.
