And Udo-Obong who won a gold medal in 4 x 400 metres relay with Nigeria at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as a bronze medal in the 2004 edition, believes the 30-year-old has what it takes to switch sporting codes.
“He’s a sportsman who has reached the highest level of his career and all he is looking for is a new challenge,” he told Goal.
“Bolt is someone who is known to honour new challenges. He ran the 400 metres, 200 metres before he dominated the 100 metres. “At each time he got a new challenge, he loved it; he conquered it and did very well. So going into football is not something that is going to be difficult for him.”
Despite this optimism, he feels football fans should not expect him to replicate his successes in athletics in the round leather game. “He is probably not going to be Ronaldo [Cristiano] but he’s somebody who can cut his way across for the next three to four years as a footballer,” he continued. “In terms of training, it’ll be easier for him because training for individual sports requires more from you than team sports. “In terms of match fitness and game-play situations, I think it’ll be more challenging because you learn football when you’re younger when you’re 20 and in your late teens. That might be one or two problems he might have. “In terms of actually playing the football, if he’s skilful and he’s good, he’ll probably be a good footballer.”
