Usain Bolt is encouraging Sha'Carri Richardson to sing a different tune, telling the New York Post he disapproves of her trash-talking, and advising her to focus on training.
"I would tell Sha’Carri to train harder and to be focused and not say too much. … If you talk that big talk you have to back it up," Bolt told the outlet. “Jamaicans were vexed because she was talking a lot of s**t before the actual race, it is just one of those things.”
“Jamaicans don’t like when people talk s**t about us because we are a very proud people. So if you talk about us we are gonna want you to back it up. It definitely gave those women the extra push to win," he continued.
Richardson reminded the eight-time Olympic gold-medalist of American sprinter Justin Gatlin, who continued to poke at Bolt leading up to their race at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Gatlin finished second, with Bolt walking out victorious in the 100-meter final.
"That was my thing with Justin Gatlin — because he's the one that was always talking — so that gives me that energy like, 'All right you think you're gonna win, let's go!" the retired veteran continued, saying it gives you an "extra boost" to defeat your opponent when they choose to be cocky.
The track legend noted he watched Richardson's return race at the Prefontaine Classic, which fell on his 35th birthday on Aug. 21. The Country Yutes reggae star said the 2020 Summer Olympics qualifier couldn't back up her trash-talking as she came up short, placing last.
"I actually watched the race, it was on my birthday … so all my friends were there. We stopped everything just to watch the race. I knew Elaine Thompson-Herah was going to win," he said. "I knew she was going to run a fast time, but I didn't expect Sha' Carri to come in last, though. But it was like, 'Oh s**t,' but the memes kept coming quick. You know, Jamaicans they were laughing and just going in at her. It was just one of those things."
Richardson seemingly took offense to Bolt's advice, reposting a comment that read, “Everybody want to give advice in the media but none of them actually take the time to speak to her outside the media. So I feel her. Stop speaking on me when you don’t even speak to me."
The sprinter followed up with her own thoughts, adding, "I could not have said it better myself."
Bolt is currently promoting his reggae album Country Yutes and mentions he would share the whole playlist with Richardson, as she prepares for her next race while still grieving the loss of her mother.
“I would recommend my full album. I would give her the whole playlist to Sha’Carri. For me, she’s been through a lot you know, she’s lost her mom," he said. “So one of the songs on the album is called ‘RIP My G,’ it’s about one of my friends that I lost a couple years ago. So it’s little bit of everything on this album, it is for everybody."
