Few illustrious sprinters have ever threatened Lightening Bolt. Early in his career, he struggled to place on the podium due to strong competition. Despite his status as the “fastest man alive” in the 2000s, he didn’t make it onto the 100m charts. Giving credit where it’s due, in 2006 Americans dominated the 100m sprints more than any other nation, according to World Athletics.

Climbing to the top Usain Bolt nailed a lasting impression with his 100 and 200m fastest finishes thereafter. Over many years professional runners sprinted with the aim of surpassing Bolt’s world records but failed. However, in a recent podcast based on Bolt’s success compared to his near rival of the time, interesting insights came to light.

Who was Usain Bolt’s American alter?

The recent World Athletic Championships saw new-age icons aiming for Bolt’s records in a heaty head-to-head square-off. The nostalgia took the fans back to the days when the track’s favorite was surpassing sprinters one race at a time. A discussion on the topic came to light on a Ready, Set, Go episode posted by @TidalLeague on Twitter(X). The caption read, ?Do you think Xavier Carter could have been one of the greatest sprinters of all-time??

Iconic track and field coach Gary Evans answered, ?Xavier was supposed to be the man to challenge Usain Bolt.? Evans spoke without a doubt as he coached the decorated American sprinter since he was 12. Carter was a 200/400m runner who struggled in his prime year despite the pro track circuit ditching the NCAA athlete title two years early. Evans further added, ?If he?didn?t have those problems, I think his name would have gone down in history.?

Here’s what prevented him from achieving athletic success: Carter got into a fight with a Jimmy John’s employee during his peak season in 2007 and also suffered a knee injury the same year. It took him the inception of the 2008 season to fully recover.

READ MORE Four-Time National Champion?s Doping Conviction Casts a Shadow on Host Country?s Road to the 2024 Paris Olympics

On September 7, 2008, he was detained for allegedly carrying a concealed handgun. Police in Gainesville, Florida reportedly spotted the loaded weapon being carried covertly. He was charged with a third-degree felony and was released the next day when he agreed to the charges in court. Stopped by consecutive roadblocks the sprinter’s iconic status remained limited to being at the top for a year.

When Xavier Carter ruled distance standings

Strictly going by the World Athletic records for senior outdoor 200m men’s sprint records in 2006, Xavier was ruling with 19.63s. He raced the second-fastest 200 m race in history in the Grand Prix in Lausanne, Switzerland. In the event, Bolt took home a bronze medal. The same year in his strongest 400m distance, Carter ran the second-fastest time in the world overpowering a star-studded field. He also tied for 17th place in 100m with a 10.09s finish while Bolt was nowhere on the list.

The reigning 200m record is held by Bolt with 19.19s way back when the sprinters were making a presence in the athletic scene. However, some of Carter’s finishes were met by narrow margins with the Lightening Fast Bolt.?

Watch this story Five Most Painful Defeats in Usain Bolts Career