Usain Bolt's Retirement Talk Signals His Endgame Strategy

Before even once settling into the starting blocks in 2015, sprinting icon Usain Bolt made headlines in every major sports news outlet this past week.

The flurry of attention was centered around Bolt's announced retirement from the track in 2017.

In one of his most revealing and thoughtful interviews in a very long time, the triple-world-record holder reiterated his retirement plans in a piece by Matt Lawton of the Daily Mail.

Nick Zaccardi, of NBC's OlympicTalk, went to Twitter to ask the obvious question in the minds of those who follow track and field on a daily basis:

"

Usain Bolt's plan to retire in 2017 has been reported many, many, many times since 2012. Why is this a headline now?

— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) February 14, 2015"

So, does this particular round of retirement talk carry any more weight than previous reports?

Yes. And here's the bottom line: The man who hasn't made a real statement on the track since the 2012 London Games is about to strike again. And again. And again.

By targeting the 2017 World Championships as his grand finale, I believe Bolt has methodically signaled his intent to leave his mark on the sport in a way we will never forget. In essence, he's forewarned us to soak up the next three seasons as if they were a true legend's last—and to expect something special.

Here's why I think this particular interview is part of a calculated strategy by Bolt to go out on his own terms, leaving records behind that won't be breached anytime soon.

Timing

With a sporadic showing in 2014 which totaled all of four races, Bolt conceded the spotlight to former World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin, who dominated the sprint scene with an undefeated 19-race season.

Bolt, and his fans, took a breather. It was, after all, track and field's quadrennial "off-year"—no World Championships and no Olympics. In my thinking, it was a bittersweet calm before the storm.

It's not unrealistic to infer from the interview that Bolt, with fresh legs and a renewed hunger, sees the next three years as the perfect exit course—Rio 2016 squeezed between the 2015 and 2017 World Championships. And we all know Bolt's brilliance is at its brightest on the world's biggest stages.

Then there is that recent tantalizing self-challenge by Bolt to produce a sub-19 second 200 meters.

It won't be long until a collective realization settles in (even among casual fans) that in three short seasons one of the truly epic figures in sport will close the door on his career.

Motive

It may not be professionally expedient for an athlete to lose his driving fire. But it is understandable—especially if that athlete has already achieved the pinnacle of his craft.

Since even before London 2012, Bolt has appeared to cruise. He has become more of a pop culture figure, attracting more ink for his cars, parties and his avoidance of high visibility head-to-head races than for any new achievements on the track.

But now there seems to be a fresh sense of urgency relating to his athletic legacy.

Here's a revealing snippet from Lawton's interview:

"

When he’s talking about personal ambition he sits more upright, tensing those powerful shoulders by gripping the arms of his chair.

"Motivation can be a bit tough," he says. "I’ve discussed it with my coach. We find different things to keep me motivated. But the thing that drives me is a desire to protect my legacy.

"It just takes one championship for people to start writing 'well, he’s not that good now'. I have to protect my legacy and make sure that never happens."

"

Room for Improvement

Bolt, by his own admission, can go faster. He needs to get more quality races, choose fast tracks and work hard on his one great technical weakness—his start.

Once again, from Lawton's piece in the Daily Mail:

"

I remember the first time I broke the world record, here in New York. I said 'woah, that was the perfect race'. He [coach Glen Mills] said 'no'. Then I thought I’d run the perfect race in Berlin, and he said 'no' again. Coaches see things we don’t see. He saw little things in Berlin that could be adjusted. He thinks there is definitely room for improvement.

I remember at the Olympics, in London, I was saying I wanted to get a good start. And he told me to stop worrying about the start. 'You’re not a good starter,' he said. ‘You’ve had one good start in your lifetime, in Berlin. So get over it.'

"

Passing the Torch

Bolt's unique talent, engaging personality and universal popularity has been a lifeline for track and field. For whatever reason, the sprints and the sprint relay are its glamour events, and the sport has been lucky to have Bolt as an ambassador in those disciplines.

With promising, young sprinters coming to the fore in Great Britain, the U.S. and, of course, Jamaica, the obvious question arises during talk of his retirement: Who will/can replace Bolt?

That quandary, if allowed to really sink in, might evoke feelings of concern, or downright desperation.

Then, a more reassuring thought comes to mind: Let's enjoy him while we can.

Follow @rojosports on Twitter.