Usain Bolt withdrew from his last scheduled meet of 2015, citing fatigue in missing the Diamond League finale in Brussels on Friday, according to meet organizers.
The Jamaican confirmed that he will not race again this year, on his Facebook page later Monday morning.
Bolt will go into the 2016 Olympic year riding the longest winning streak (by days) of his career.
He hasn’t been defeated in an individual race since June 6, 2013, a streak that will surpass 950 days before his first competition in 2016.
Bolt, who turned 29 years old Aug. 21, reaffirmed his sprint dominance at the World Championships in August, sweeping the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relays at a Worlds or Olympics for a fifth time.
He’s been challenged since the start of 2014 by injuries -- running 400 meters total in competition last year due to foot surgery -- and the re-emergence of Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion running the fastest times of his life at age 33, five years removed from a four-year doping ban.
Though Bolt beat Gatlin by .01 in the Worlds 100m final on Aug. 23, Gatlin was the world’s fastest man that day (running 9.77 in the semifinals to Bolt’s 9.79 in the final) and remains the fastest in the world this year (9.74).
Before he withdrew, Bolt was slated to contest the 200m in Brussels on Friday, with Gatlin in the 100m. They may well go into the Rio Olympics without having raced each other since the World Championships.
Now, Gatlin is expected to race both the 100m and 200m.
VIDEO: Usain Bolt’s first race against Justin Gatlin in 2005
Unfortunately Usain Bolt feels too tired and has decided to end his season and go back home. #memorialvandamme #diamondleaguebrussels
— Allianz Memorial Van Damme (@MVDbrussels) September 7, 2015
@justingatlin looking for victory in both 100m and 200m this Friday! #memorialvandamme #DiamondLeague #diamondleaguebrussels
— Allianz Memorial Van Damme (@MVDbrussels) September 7, 2015
