Justin Gatlin was soaring, riding high on success until reality came crashing down. Everything had been going perfectly, until it wasn’t. Back in 2004, Gatlin walked out of the Athens Olympics with every kind of medal gold, silver, and bronze. Sounds like a dream, right? And it only got better. In 2005, he was unstoppable, clinching both the 100m and 200m titles at the World Championships, becoming just the second man ever to complete the sprint double.
But as he ascended the peak, everything suddenly collapsed. The year 2006 started like a fairytale Gatlin clocked a world-record 9.77 seconds in the 100m at the Super Grand Prix in Doha. But soon after, disaster struck. He tested positive for a banned substance. It echoed a previous incident from 2001—but this time, it was more serious. The result? A four-year suspension from athletics, sidelining him until 2010.
What happened during those four years? Now, in 2025, Gatlin is opening up. On the Meet The Mitchells podcast (April 12), he called this period the darkest chapter of his life. With track and field stripped away, he was forced to explore other paths. “I started trying to go into modeling… looking for other things,” he said, reflecting on how deeply his identity was tied to sport.
During this time, he even dabbled in football, attending a mini camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But none of it compared. “I realized, man, I love what I love. I love track and field,” he said. That clarity fueled his return.
And when he came back in 2010? He was transformed. With a renewed love for the sport and a deeper perspective, Gatlin wasn’t just competing he was on a mission. His comeback race at the Bigbank Kuldliiga meet saw him win the 100m in 10.24 seconds. But his sights were set higher: the 2012 London Olympics.
Despite intense competition especially from Bolt, who had become a global icon during Gatlin’s absence he managed to snag a bronze in the 100m final. Some in the crowd booed, but Gatlin was undeterred.
From 2013 to 2015, he was virtually unbeatable in both sprints. In 2015, he hit peak form, matching or setting personal bests and becoming a genuine threat to Bolt’s dominance.
So yes, Gatlin got a rare second chance and he didn’t waste it. He came back with fire, with purpose, and with a beast mode that redefined him. His journey, though bumpy, became a story of resilience, reinvention, and redemption.
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