• London Olympics 2012

Lewis tells Bolt to forget about long jump

ESPN staff
March 24, 2011
Carl Lewis' class shone through at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 © Getty Images
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Olympic legend Carl Lewis has urged Usain Bolt to forget about embarking on a long jump career and focus on his running.

Bolt will defend his 100m and 200m titles at London 2012, but he has spoken about switching to the long jump after next year's Olympics.

Lewis won gold in the long jump at four Olympics but he was also a stunning sprinter and won two 100m golds. The American started his athletics career in long jump before translating his talent to the track and he claims that is far easier to do than convert from a runner to a jumper.

"They (the events) are totally different," Lewis told MSN Sport. "A sprinter turning into a long jumper is like an American football safety on defence turning into a quarterback. The long jump is so much more difficult. However, a quarterback could become a safety.

"I was a long jumper that sprinted. He is a sprinter."

Lewis feels Bolt will be classed as one of the all-time greats without embarking on a long jump career. He said: "Why does he have to do my events to define his greatness? Why can't he just run his events and have a great long career? Maybe run the 400m, which is easier to do? I didn't come in saying that I had to do Jesse Owens' events to be defined 'great'."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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