Who Will Replace Usain Bolt as the Fastest Runner at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

Usain Bolt, the fastest runner alive, has left the big stage and decided to retire at 30-years old. He has done so in the most magnificent fashion by winning the gold medal in 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at the Rio Olympics. History will remember him as one of the most dominating champions, especially when it comes to the 100m dash competition.

But in the wake of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, everyone is wondering who will replace the Jamaican at the throne. There are a lot of hungry, young lions out there and one of them is going to take the mantle of the fastest man alive soon.

Let’s see some of the potential candidates.

Andre de Grasse

Usain Bolt has already named Andre de Grasse as his natural heir. The 21-year-old Canadian has already proven himself becoming the first Canadian since Bruny Surin to win a 100m medal at a major competition by winning the bronze at the World Championship.

De Grasse also has a bronze 100m medal from the Rio Olympics when he finished after Bolt and Gatlin, recording his personal best of 9.91 seconds at the time. He also won the silver medal at the same tournament by finishing second after Bolt at the 200m sprint.

Nigel Ellis

Nigel Ellis is still 19-years old but has been singled out as one of the hopes of Jamaican sports and certainly one to replace Bolt at the top. Nigel still has some competition in his teammates Kemar Bailey-Cole and Jevaughn Minzie as the three of them have been singled out as the best competitors at the most recent 4x100m in Brazil.

Ellis recorded his personal best at the Under-20 race at a Caribbean competition by winning the medal and doing it at 10.16. He still has a lot to work on and simply needs to be disciplined to gain that status of a future star.

Trayvon Bromell

Trayvon Bromell is seen as another hot prospect coming from the US who is still only 21-years old. Trayvon also managed to reach the 100m final but finished it in 8th place with a time of 10.06 seconds.

Since then, Trayvon made enormous leaps forward to record a time of 9.84 seconds at the latest USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. It marked the 10th fastest finish in the history of the competition.

He was also assigned to run the last leg for the US’s 4x100m but fell to third place. Either way, the team was later disqualified for late baton change earlier in the race.

Abdul Hakim Sani Brown

Sani Brown is probably one of the greatest hopes for Japan winning the medal in track competitions. He was named as 2015 IAAF Rising Star of the Year after he won the  100m and 200m races at the 2015 World Youth Championships. Sani Brown had a record time of 20.34 in the 200m race as he broke Bolt’s record set in 2003.

Abdul Hakim was unable to compete in Rio due to a thigh injury but will look to showcase his talents in Tokyo.

Zharnel Hughes

Zharnel Hughes is a Caribbean-born athlete who carries Britain’s flat at major competitions. He trains alongside Bolt at the Racers Track Club in Jamaica and at 6’3″ tall has pretty similar physical attributes as Bolt does.

Hughes finished 5th at the 2015 World Championship 200m race and has a personal time of 10.10 seconds at 100m. Unfortunately, knee ligament problems didn’t allow him to compete in Rio and he will surely try to make up for it in Tokyo being that he is only 21-years old.