Very few who challenged Michael Johnson on the race track beat him, and Piers Morgan has found this to be a similar story on social media.
The pair have traded barbs in the past, and their semi-serious feud reignited this week when Morgan responded to Johnson about the quality of silver and bronze medals at the Olympics.
Johnson, who won four Olympic track and field golds, wrote on X that any medal at the Olympics equals greatness, even if that means the athlete or sportsperson is “maybe not greatest on the day.”
Morgan responded, “Losing isn’t greatness, especially if you were favourite to win. It’s losing.” Johnson then clapped back, writing: “We’re not doing this again Piers! I already schooled you on this last Olympics!”
At the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were delayed a year due to Covid-19, Johnson and Morgan had clashed after the ex-athlete had similarly said that silver and bronze medals were “wins” for anyone who was a projected finalist. “Don’t listen to people whose only sport is stirring up s**t. Regardless how many followers they have,” he had added, without naming Morgan.
Morgan had insisted Johnson would have been disappointed with any bronze or silver, pointing to the broadcaster and former athlete’s X handle, @MJGold, as proof.
Yesterday, Morgan continued the theme, writing: “Legend, if coming 2nd/3rd when you’re favourite to win constitutes ‘greatness’, why did you make your name on here @MJGold and why does your X bio make a make a point of boasting about zero silver/bronze medals?”
Johnson has become a TV sports fixture for Brits, having been a regular pundit for the BBC since 2001 and part of the Olympics broadcasting team since Athens in 2004. On the track, he’s best known for winning the 200m and 400m at the 1996 and 2000 Games, and held the world record in both disciplines.
The Paris Olympics ended on Sunday after two weeks of competition. The Paralympics begin in the French capital in two weeks.
