By Usain Bolt, the current holder of the 100m record, has challenged Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé (25) to a race, which has now been accepted.
After retiring from athletics back in 2017, Jamaican sprinter Bolt made a brief foray into football, spending a few months playing football in Australia. Bolt revealed that he was “inspired” by Mbappé during a recent interview, during which he challenged the France captain to a race.
Speaking at a promotional event, co-organised by Nike and his foundation, ‘Inspired by KM’, Mbappé responded to Bolt’s challenge in an interview with the press, transcribed by RMC Sport. The former AS Monaco forward began by saluting Bolt, stating that it was “gratifying” that he inspired the Jamaican.
“He inspired everyone too and I think that everyone has woken up late in the night to watch one of Usain Bolt’s races. I can say that it’s reciprocal and that I started to admire him first,” said Mbappé.
Mbappé not amongst the quickest in Ligue 1
He then agreed to Bolt’s 100m spring challenge. “It would be fun, why not one day if we both have the time, do something nice […] I don’t expect much from the result,” said Mbappé, who doesn’t fancy his chances of beating Bolt, whose time of 9″58 remains the world record in the Men’s 100m.
As of October 2023, Mbappé did not even register in the top 10 fastest players in Ligue 1, with Clermont Foot’s Andy Pelmard (36.14 km/h) topping the time sheets at the time, just ahead of Olympique de Marseille’s Jonathan Clauss, with FC Nantes’ Moses Simon closing out the podium.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
