REIGNING 100m World champion Omar McLeod believes former world’s fastest man Usain Bolt was well within his rights to defend longtime coach Glen Mills.

The decorated Olympian and sprint icon set off a social media storm in recent weeks when he was highly critical of the work attitude of some of the current crop of sprinters following criticism of veteran coach Mills.

In recent weeks, multiple athletes affiliated to the Racers Track Club had written social media pieces critical of the coach and the operation of the now-famous club.

In a terse response, Bolt suggested that the athletes had only themselves to blame for any lack of success, accusing them of not working hard enough. While admitting that he did not know enough about the issue, McLeod claims to understand the sprinter’s defence of the coach.

“I don’t know about what happened in-depth, I’ve seen the interview. I’m really happy he made the decision to speak up for his coach.  It can be a thing when athletes don’t get what they want they try to point fingers and blame other people,” McLeod told Nuffin’ Long Athletics.

“Nobody knows the extent of what happened, I don’t, so I don’t want to speak of it but I just think it was good of him to come out and speak because he and his coach have had a really good career and I guess he is a father figure to Usain Bolt.”(Sportsmax)