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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Justin Gatlin of the United States raises a finger to his lips to following his win in the Men’s 100 metres final in 9.92 seconds during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Justin Gatlin of the United States raises a finger to his lips to following his win in the Men’s 100 metres final in 9.92 seconds during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
The US sprinting champion, Justin Gatlin, announced his retirement from the track on February 10th. As decorated and eventful as it gets, his career has been a complete roller coaster ride. However, all things said and done, there’s no doubt he was a champion on the track.
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BEIJING, CHINA – AUGUST 24: Silver medalist Justin Gatlin of the United States poses during the medal ceremony for the Men’s 100 metres final during day three of the 15th IAAF World Athletics Championships Beijing 2015 at Beijing National Stadium on August 24, 2015 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
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Notably, he announced his retirement on Instagram with a beautiful poem, “From running around play grounds playing tag as a kid, To burning down sidelines of youth football fields, To racing the neighborhood kids on foot while they were on bikes. My life changed the moment I knew your name ?..Track.”
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He also mentioned the great Kobe Bryant in his post, paying homage to the legend as he has been an inspiration to the US sprinter since the very beginning.
Justin Gatlin honored in Pacers vs Cavs game
The 40-year-old sprinter was honored in a game between Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers. He was awarded a framed Indiana Pacers’ Jersey as a memento, while the commentator spoke about all his achievements on the track.
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Gatlin won his only gold in the Olympics in 2004 at the Athens Games. His other achievements include a 100m gold at the 2017 World Championships in London, where he defeated sprinting legend, Usain Bolt, a gold medal in 4x100m relay team at Doha World Championships in 2019, and multiple world titles.
Truly, Justin Gatlin is no ordinary man. His love for the track kept him agile and alive and saw him win several accolades. He is a survivor, and a champion, who stood strong against every obstacle in his life. In its truest sense,?he is an American hero who’ll be remembered gracing the track with his excellence.
