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Usain Bolt has recalled how Justin Gatlin inadvertently helped him to seal his sporting immortality at the Rio Olympics.
The fastest man alive cemented his legendary status at the 2016 Games, becoming the first athlete to ever win gold in the 100 metres and 200m at three consecutive Olympics.
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Hot on Bolt's heels in the first of his sprint double was long-time rival Gatlin, who clinched silver in the 100m.
And the Jamaican star has revealed his success was fuelled by a desire to silence the American, who had vowed to steal back his crown in an interview on US television earlier that year.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion pledged: "I'm going to win. We are bringing it [gold] back to the USA.
"We are gonna bring it back to the USA, to LA, to New York. We are going on a tour around the country with it around my neck like a gold chain."
This was certainly enough to ignite a fire in Bolt, who has since labelled Gatlin's rallying cry the 'best thing' to happen to him.
Appearing on the Ready Set Go podcast alongside his old adversary, the Olympics legend admitted this gave him a new drive after struggling for motivation ahead of the Rio Games.
Bolt told Gatlin: “I'm telling you, the best thing that happened to me is the day you went on that interview.
“Somebody sent it to me, I'll never forget and the guy was like: ‘Come on, say it, what are you going to do?’
“And you were like: ‘Yo, I'm going to win this gold medal, come back with it around my neck'."
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Both former sprinters laughed before Bolt admitted: “You don't know the motivation that gave me!"
He then suggested there could have been a different outcome in his final Olympic campaign had it not been for Gatlin.
The athletics great explained: “That whole season I was tired because I've been doing this for a while and I've been winning, I didn't have the motivation.
“But the moment I saw that video I was like: ‘Alright, let's go!’
“I think maybe if I didn't get that video you would have gotten me that year.”
Gatlin's words did just enough to see Bolt cross the line first in Rio, clocking a time of 9.81 seconds, just ahead of the US star's 9.89 effort.
Despite never getting the better of Bolt on the Olympic stage, Gatlin was a regular on the podium alongside the Jamaican at major events after his comeback from a four-year doping ban in 2010.
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And the Jamaican hailed his rival's consistency for getting the best out of him, with the five-time Games medallist also clinching bronze behind him in the 100m at London 2012.
Speaking later in the episode, he said of Gatlin's return: "So he's back now and he's like: ‘I'm ready to go, I'm ready to roll!'
“I was excited because my coach told me from the start: ‘This guy's going to show up, so be ready.'
“So I was excited to compete. And he kept it [up], for like six years we were doing this.
“It was just every year, every year, there was no let up. I couldn't miss a day. So for me it was one of the best times and I really enjoyed it."
Bolt continued: “I mean Tyson [Gay] was [my main rival] two years, Asafa [Powell] was one year, [Yohan] Blake was one year.
“But me and Justin had been going at it for years, so for me it was great to have a competitor that you can compete [with] and know it's going to keep you on top of your game.”
