Fred Kerley Shocks With Bold Choice in Usain Bolt Comparison

Fred Kerley and Usain Bolt. (Credit: Imago)

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Fred Kerley and Usain Bolt. (Credit: Imago)

Fred Kerley Shocks With Bold Choice in Usain Bolt Comparison

Stephen Awino 16:00 - 07.06.2025

Fred Kerley sparked debate by confidently choosing himself over Usain Bolt in a recent sprinter comparison segment.

American sprint star Fred Kerley recently stirred debate in after confidently choosing himself over sprint legend Usain Bolt during a versus-style segment with Golden Gala.

The Olympic silver medalist and former world champion was tasked with picking between some of the greatest sprinters of all time and his choices revealed both respect for his peers and supreme self-belief.

Kerley Backs Gay Over Lewis and Blake, Picks Bolt Over Powell

Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell are some of the fastest men to ever live (Credit: Imago)

In the comparison game, Kerley was first asked to choose between Carl Lewis and Tyson Gay, two iconic American sprinters from different eras. Without hesitation, he picked Gay.

He stood by that choice even when Gay was pitted against Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, a former world champion and Olympic medalist.

When Bolt was brought into the mix, facing off against fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell, Kerley gave the expected answer, the world’s fastest man.

He consistently chose Bolt over other greats such as Maurice Greene, Leon Bailey, and former Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs.

Kerley Chooses Himself Over Bolt

Fred Kerley
Fred Kerley has previously expressed a desire to break Usain Bolt's record | IMAGO Fred Kerley ahs signalled a comeback | IMAGO

However, the real surprise came when Kerley was asked to choose between himself and Bolt. Without blinking, he replied, “Fred Kerley.”

The answer was bold, signaling the kind of self-confidence Kerley has shown throughout his career.

The choice comes even as the American has expressed his ambition to break Bolt’s long-standing world records.

Usain Bolt’s jaw-dropping records of 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m, both set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, still stand untouched more than a decade later. Kerley, whose personal best in the 100m is a blistering 9.76 seconds — achieved at the 2022 U.S. Trials — is among the few current sprinters seen as a potential threat to those marks.

Whether Kerley’s confidence will one day translate into world-record-breaking times remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: he’s not afraid to stake his claim among the greatest.