Bellerin and Walcott issued £30,000 challenge
Having been labelled "faster than Usain Bolt", Arsenal's Hector Bellerin and Theo Walcott have been challenged to a £30,000 sprint race by the World and European 60 metre champion.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iPyubzCHzqaH6dJg2Rd5Eh.jpg)
Walcott revealed last week that Bellerin had usurped his previous Arsenal record over 40 metres of 4.42 seconds – a quicker mark than that clocked officially by Bolt during his 100m record-breaking run of 9.58secs.
Reports claiming the Arsenal duo may be swifter than the six-time Olympic gold medalist have been wildly scoffed at by professional sprinters, with former British athlete Craig Pickering questioning the logic behind the reports.
Fellow Briton Richard Kilty, who won gold over 60m at last year's World Indoor Championships before adding the European title last month, has also waded in and challenged the Arsenal speedsters to prove their true pace.
He posted on Twitter: "Media claiming @HectorBellerin can run 4.42 over 40m. Absolutely no way. Are these journalists complete morons!
"I will put £30,000 on the line to race @HectorBellerin and @theowalcott any sprint distance, any time, any place, anywhere.
"The race will be over very quick. So if they put their money down I will gladly show everyone they can not sprint as fast as the media claim."
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
![LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 5: Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool congratulates Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the 4-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q3ie7X2vDDiU7X6C9HVRK7-840-80.jpg)
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
![CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 02: Wales captain Ryan Giggs shakes the hand of manager John Toshack after being substituted on his last International appearance for his country during the Euro 2008 Group D Qualifying Match between Wales and Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium on June 2, 2007 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by (Stu Forster/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ooQ9oNmgvfUUG8TBUhn6BK-840-80.jpg)
‘I trained at Spurs and thought they’d give me a chance. But I received a letter thanking me but saying they didn’t think I was good enough – I was gutted’: How Tottenham missed out on signing Wales legend John Toshack