Fred Kerley may be watching the biggest races from the sidelines, but staying out of the spotlight has never really been his style. Even while serving a suspension, the outspoken American sprinter continues to find ways to inspire people.

In a recent video shared by zoop.club on IG, the two-time Olympic medalist encouraged aspiring content creators to focus less on trends and more on authenticity.

“My name is Fred, the greatest of all time,” he said with a smile before adding, “If you worry about what the next person is doing, you’re not being yourself. You’re not selling other people’s story. You’re selling your story.”

Kerley admitted social media can be unpredictable, calling it “fake and real at the same time.” But in his view, one thing never changes.

“What I would tell the next generation of content creators… be yourself. Keep on your own product because you never know what’s going to catch on.”

Ironically, his words arrive while he’s dealing with one of the biggest setbacks of his career.

The two-time Olympic medalist is serving a two-year suspension after the Athletics Integrity Unit ruled that he committed three whereabouts failures between May and December 2024. His ineligibility runs until August 11, 2027. But that’s not all…

The decision also nullified his results and prize money earned during the relevant period.

Despite the setback, Kerley has remained vocal. Earlier this year, he also questioned aspects of the anti-doping system and later accepted an invitation to compete at the Enhanced Games, insisting he would race without using performance-enhancing drugs.

Still, long before the suspension and the controversies, Kerley had already made his ambitions crystal clear.

Fred Kerley wishes to win Olympics gold medal for his nation

Long before this suspension, Fred Kerley had already made one thing clear. Go back to 2023, when Kerley was on top of the sprinting world. Even then, one name kept coming up… Usain Bolt.

He admitted that Usain Bolt remains the benchmark. And it wasn’t the record books that fascinated him most; it was the mountain of Olympic and World Championship gold medals Bolt had built over the years.

“Records come and go, but golds last forever,” Kerley said.

He admitted that breaking Bolt’s 9.58-second 100m world record and 19.19-second 200m mark remains a dream. But for him, standing on top of Olympic podiums matters even more.

“Everyone knows Usain Bolt,” Kerley had previously said. “I want to be faster and more decorated than Bolt.”

Having claimed silver in Tokyo after finishing behind Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, Olympic gold quickly became an obsession. Winning the World Championships in Eugene only fueled that belief.

“I can’t care too less about what I did, but I want a gold medal at the Olympic Games because the gold at the Olympic Games lasts forever,” he explained.

Even while chasing Bolt’s legacy, Kerley has never hidden the admiration he holds for the sprint legend. “He inspired a lot of generations,” Kerley said. “We try to duplicate or step foot where he stepped foot on. He is the golden standard for track and field. We all try to achieve all he achieved in his lifetime.”

Raised by his aunt and uncle in Texas after a difficult childhood, Kerley often credits his humble beginnings for shaping his relentless mindset. He says every race is bigger than himself. It’s about giving young athletes from similar backgrounds someone to believe in. “I want my name to last for generations,” he once said.

This motivational note from Fred Kerley to all the next-gen content creators is perhaps just another example of how he wants others to never stop believing in their own abilities.