Michael Johnson challenges Usain Bolt to break 400m record

Former Olympic champion Michael Johnson has challenged Usain Bolt to try and break his 400m world record. Johnson, writing in his new column for the Times, said the 400m challenge could provide Bolt with motivation to keep running beyond the 2012 Olympics. However, the dual Olympic gold medal winner and world record holder indicated he may be more willing to switch to long jump. "It would be incredible to see someone hold the world record at 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres and that's where his motivation could come from after London," said Johnson. "I'd like to see him compete at 400 metres. I think he could break [my] world record [43.18sec, set in 1999] if he did. "I certainly expect him to repeat as Olympic champion in the 100 metres and 200 metres and if he turned his focus at that point to 400 metres, it could keep him motivated and keep him in the sport longer." Johnson admitted that he had talked with Bolt about the prospect of him running the 400m. "I've asked him about that and he said that he just didn't feel like he wanted to do the training that it takes to compete at 400 metres, which is much more difficult," Johnson said, before adding that Bolt had mentioned long jump as a possible discipline to switch into.