Sports
Usain Bolt Named ‘Only Man in the World’ Who Could Beat Him in a Race in His Prime
Usain Bolt still holds the title of the fastest sprinter alive to this day, but he did once name someone who he thought could be faster and beat him in a race during his prime years.
The towering and charismatic Jamaican wowed the world stage on many occasions, winning multiple track and field titles, Olympic gold medals, and smashing world records in both the 100m and 200m sprints, which he still holds to this day.
The thought of someone being faster than Bolt doesn’t feel believable, yet the man himself apparently believed that one of his greatest rivals was capable of accomplishing the feat. In an era where he faced off against the likes of Tyson Gay and Justin Gaitlin, it was his compatriot Asafa Powell who Bolt believed could be faster than him on his day.
Usain Bolt’s Toughest Opponent
Powell was the world record holder of the 100m sprint before Bolt, having set a time of 9.74s in 2007 that stood top for about eight months before his compatriot broke it by 0.02s, going on to famously break his own record at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a 9.69s, and finally setting the 9.58s time that still stands as the fastest 100m dash at present.
|
Usain Bolt’s Olympics record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Olympics |
Event |
Medal |
|
2008 Beijing |
100m |
Gold |
|
2008 Beijing |
100m |
Gold |
|
2012 London |
100m |
Gold |
|
2012 London |
200m |
Gold |
|
2012 London |
4x100m relay |
Gold |
|
2016 Rio |
100m |
Gold |
|
2016 Rio |
200m |
Gold |
|
2016 Rio |
4x100m relay |
Gold |
In an interview with the Guardian in 2011, years after Bolt’s zenith, Powell revealed details about conversations he had with his fellow Jamaican great, including the moment where he was told one of the greatest compliments he ever heard in his life.
“I think in the entire world I’m the only person that has always scared him. He’s always been telling me that over the years. I get the truth out of him when he drinks a bit. He gets a bit tipsy, and he’s like: ‘Asafa, you’re the only man in the world I think can beat me.’
“He first told me that in 2008… just before the Olympics. He’d just run 9.72. He said: ‘You’re the only man in the world who I think can beat me.’ I was like, in my head: ‘I know that,’ but you know, I really have a lot of respect for him, and he has a lot of respect for me as well.
“So for him to really come to me and tell me that I was the one who motivated him to start running the 100m and that he respects me a lot – he always tells me that – I have a lot of respect for him.”
Olympics Heartbreak For Usain Bolt’s Toughest Rival
Powell is regarded as a great in the track and field discipline, having won multiple medals at the World Championships and World Athletics Finals. Yet, for all his success, he seemed cursed when it came to the Olympics, possibly the biggest dream for sprinters across the world.
Whether it was ill-timed injuries or struggling to deliver his best in finals, Powell never managed to earn an individual medal from 2004 Athens all the way to 2012 London. He was part of the winning gold medallist 4x100m relay teams with Jamaica in 2008 and 2016, though, the 2008 success was turned into a disqualification many years later due to one of his teammates testing positive for a banned substance.
Luck may have never delivered for Powell when aiming for the ultimate medal, but at the very least, he has a compliment that no other athlete could imagine having, being seen as the only one who could truly beat Usain Bolt in a race, as said by the man himself. For all the accomplishments in his career, those words could rank near the very top.
Sports
All Completed Tottenham Transfers in 2026/27
Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing Premier League campaign last season, and they have certainly been making moves during the summer transfer window. The Lily Whites endured another season at the bottom half of the Premier League, in a relegation fight until the final day, where newly appointed Roberto De Zerbi steered the squad to a 17th-place finish.
With De Zerbi only joining the side during the business-end of last season, it is clear he will want to make his own signings for his squad and build a strong Spurs side that can challenge in the top half of the Premier League table.
De Zerbi plays a very different brand of football compared to his predecessors, Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, and the Italian boss will have to make some tough decisions on incomings and outgoing transfers, with his squad needing players who are more suited to his fast, possession-based football.
New Tottenham Transfers 2026/27
|
Player |
Nationality |
Previous Club |
Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan Paul Van Hecke |
Netherlands |
Brighton |
£52 million |
|
Marcos Senesi |
Argentina |
Bournemouth |
Free |
|
Andy Robertson |
Scotland |
Liverpool |
Free |
|
Martin Dubravka |
Slovakia |
Burnley |
Free |
Spurs have confirmed four signings so far this transfer window, with only one player in Van Hecke, costing them a transfer fee. Van Hecke has close ties to De Zerbi from their time at Brighton, whilst Marcos Senesi has been a standout player for Bournemouth, and picking him up on a free is a big piece of business for Tottenham. Martin Dubravka provides a good backup option, whilst having the Premier League experience and ability of Andy Robertson will be another key addition to Spurs.
The North London side aren’t finished yet either, with reports claiming that Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is ready to join Spurs should both clubs manage to agree a fee. Mateus Fernandes is also a player of interest for Spurs, with the Portuguese midfielder looking to leave recently relegated West Ham, who are holding out for a fee of £85 million.
Spurs have also recently been linked with a bid for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who enjoyed a loan spell at Barcelona last season.
Tottenham Departures 2026/27
|
Player |
Nationality |
New Club |
Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alejo Veliz |
Argentina |
EC Bahia |
£8 million |
|
Yves Bissouma |
Mali |
Released |
N/A |
|
Randal Kolo Muani |
France |
End of Loan |
N/A |
|
Joao Palhinha |
Portugal |
End of Loan |
N/A |
There haven’t been many big transfer outgoings yet from White Hart Lane, with Alejo Veliz being the only player to leave the side so far for a transfer fee. The Argentine forward only featured eight times in Tottenham colours, scoring once. Yves Bissouma’s time at the club came to an end following the expiration of his contract, whilst Randal Kolo Muani and Joao Palhinha’s loan spells also finished.
Guglielmo Vicario is rumoured to be on his way out of the club, with Spurs set to back Antonin Kinsky with a new five-year deal at the club, with new signing Dubravka playing back up.
Lucas Bergvall has also been linked with a move away from Spurs, with the young talent rumoured with moves to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, who will be looking for a replacement following Elliot Anderson’s £116 million move to Manchester City.
More Transfer News
Better Than Tonali and Fernandes: Tottenham Plot Shock Bid to Sign ‘World-Class’ Star
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Sports
‘I Beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2022
A past opponent of tennis icon Serena Williams has spoken out on the American’s treatment towards her following a win over her at Wimbledon four years ago.
Williams is currently in the headlines and the topic of much discussion in the tennis landscape after recently announcing her return to the court after a four-year hiatus from the sport.
The 23-time Grand Slam winner returned to action at last month’s Queen’s Club Championships in the doubles event alongside young Canadian star Victoria Mboko.
The 44-year-old’s comeback was accelerated when she was announced to be playing in both the singles and doubles events at Wimbledon this year thanks to wildcards. The latter event will see her reunite with and play alongside her sister, Venus, once again.
Things did not turn out the way Williams would have hoped on her singles return to Wimbledon on Tuesday evening, however, as the unseeded Maya Joint got the better of her, claiming a memorable 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 triumph.
Following the loss, Williams shook the hand of her first-round Australian opponent before swiftly departing a packed out Centre Court. The American then decided to skip media conference duties after the match, instead opting to release a message to the press of her delight at competing at SW19 again.
In the moments after the contest concluded, French player Harmony Tan was quick to point out how she had been treated by Williams following their meeting at Wimbledon four years ago.
Harmony Tan Calls Out Serena Williams After Wimbledon Return
Tan was the last person to defeat Williams at the Grand Slam event in 2022 before the tennis great stepped away from the sport, inflicting an opening-round 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 loss on the American.
The French competitor, currently ranked 200 by the WTA in singles, posted a screenshot on her Instagram story of her attempting to find Williams’ official account on the social media platform.
🎾
Wimbledon History Quiz
You scored
out of 20
However, the image depicted Williams’ profile being unavailable to Tan, confirming that she had been blocked by the tennis icon.
Tan captioned her story, writing: “So, 4 years ago, after the handshake, she blocked me also on Instagram btw (by the way).”
The 28-year-old accompanied the message with both a stressed-out face and laughing emojis.
Williams’ actions are somewhat surprising, considering there is not thought to be any bad blood between the two players, only that they simply faced off against one another at Wimbledon in 2022.
Perhaps, the American did not want to be reminded of the last player to defeat her at Wimbledon during her period away from the court.
Tan is not featuring in this year’s main singles draw at Wimbledon after failing to get through the qualifying stages. She won her opening two games of the qualifiers against Mia Pohankova and Esther Adeshina, respectively. However, she then came up short against Tyra Caterina Grant, losing 6-4, 7-6 to the Italian.
Williams will be hoping for better luck in the doubles at Wimbledon, when she and her sister face the South American duo of Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in Thursday’s opening round contest.
Sports
Did Ronaldinho Mean His Free Kick Goal vs England at the 2002 World Cup?
Few moments from the 2002 World Cup are more iconic and memorable than Ronaldinho‘s audacious free kick goal for Brazil against England in the quarter-final. And few are more divisive; did he really mean it or was it just a fluke?
Brazil went on to win the 2002 tournament, beating Germany in the final, and that formidable group, featuring Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Ronaldo, remain the last batch of Brazilians to lift the famous trophy. And, over two decades on, discussion continues to simmer among lovers of the game over whether ‘that Ronaldinho goal’ was intentional or not.
So, did Ronaldinho mean to score that day or was it simply a moment of outrageous good fortune? GIVEMESPORT takes a look back at one of the most talked-about moments in World Cup history.
Ronaldinho Goal vs England: What Happened?
|
Game: |
England 1-2 Brazil (World Cup 2002, Quarter-Final) |
|---|---|
|
Date: |
June 21, 2002 |
|
Venue: |
Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi, Japan |
|
England Scorer(s): |
Michael Owen (23′) |
|
Brazil Scorer(s): |
Rivaldo (45+2′), Ronaldinho (50′) |
Having comfortably beaten Denmark 3-0 in the Round of 16, England advanced to the quarter-final stage, where Brazil lay in wait. The South Americans were heavy favourites to win the tournament and had beaten Belgium in the previous round, but England took the lead in the 23rd minute courtesy of Michael Owen.
However, the game would ultimately revolve around Ronaldinho and it was the gifted playmaker’s slaloming run and pass that allowed Rivaldo to score an equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Then, the defining moment of the match arrived just a matter of minutes after the restart, when Ronaldinho was carelessly fouled 40-odd yards out, wide on the right of England’s goal.
⚽
World Cup History Quiz
You scored
out of 20
Ronaldinho shrugged off the assault from the England midfielder and stood ominously over the ball as his compatriots flooded into the England box in anticipation of an inviting cross. He struck the ball hard with the inside of his right foot and it spun high into the area, momentarily wrong-footing Seaman before looping miraculously into the top left corner of the net.
Interestingly, it would not be Ronaldinho’s last contribution to the game, with the toothy Brazilian being sent off just seven minutes later following a testy tussle with Danny Mills.
WATCH: Ronaldinho’s Free Kick Goal vs England | All the Angles
Did Ronaldinho Mean To Lob David Seaman and Score?
England players who played that day were unanimous in their assessment that the goal was completely unintentional and fortuitous, with David Beckham calling it “a fluke” and Teddy Sheringham derisively describing it as “a mis-hit” in the immediate aftermath.
Danny Mills, meanwhile, argued that Ronaldinho’s apparent “sheepishness” when asked directly about it after the game by Rio Ferdinand was evidence that he had simply gotten lucky. “Rio [Ferdinand] asked Ronaldinho after the game if he meant to shoot and he just gave a shrug and grinned,” explained the disbelieving Mills.
England vs Argentina at the 1998 World Cup: Beckham, Simeone & Old Rivalries Renewed
The night David Beckham’s red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup turned England’s golden boy into public enemy number one.
However, Ronaldinho himself has always been adamant that he meant to score his free kick against Seaman, defiantly insisting that “there was nothing lucky about it” and noting that he had even discussed the move with Brazil captain Cafu beforehand, after the defender had noticed the England goalkeeper’s positioning.
“It was definitely a shot,” Ronaldinho said in an interview with FIFA.com. “It was Cafu who advised me beforehand that there was a space and that Seaman was standing in a very advanced position in the penalty area. It seemed only natural to have a go, and there was nothing lucky about it.”
He added:
“When I hit the ball I wanted to shoot for goal – but maybe not exactly where the ball ended up. If I’m being totally honest, I was aiming for the other side of the net. I was aware of the keeper’s position and went for the shot at goal. The fact that it did not go in exactly as I planned is secondary to the fact that I was having a go.”
While he disputes any suggestion that the goal was a mistake on his part, Ronaldinho does concede that there was a stroke of good fortune involved because the ball bent in his favour.
“What basically happened is that I hit my shot too hard and, as it travelled through the air, it swerved more and ended up looping over Seaman. There was nothing he could do about it and I suppose there was an element of luck involved,” acknowledged the Brazilian. “But, a goal is a goal!”
In the years after the fact, Ronaldinho repeatedly reiterated his stance, with Sven-Goran Eriksson – England’s manager for the game – outlining that he had asked the Brazilian on a number of different occasions whether he really meant it. “I met him many times after the World Cup,” said Eriksson. “And every time I ask him, ‘tell me the truth – did you want to score?’ and he says, ‘yes, of course!'”
Over two decades later, Seaman remains incredulous at Ronaldinho’s explanation and he is broadly backed up on the matter by his team-mates, though it remains a sore point for the ex goalkeeper.
“Not a chance [did Ronaldinho mean to score]. I was told straight after the game that he didn’t mean it,” Seaman said in 2026, speaking on the GBF podcast. “Gilberto Silva was playing for Brazil at the time and he was [later] my team-mate at Arsenal – he told me. It just didn’t matter because I was in a world of pain.”
On the same podcast, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes – who was the player who fouled Ronaldinho to concede the free kick in question – echoed Seaman’s view that it was nothing more than a blunder that worked out in their opponent’s favour.
One former England star who is convinced that it was a moment of intended Ronaldinho genius is Gary Lineker, who said in a 2022 BBC podcast: “I’ve seen Ronaldinho play a lot and I don’t think he’s capable of missing a free kick by that far, so I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
💬 Did Ronaldinho mean that goal? Let us know in the comments! 👇
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