There was shock at what the kid from Trelawny, Jamaica, did at the Beijing Olympics. In 2009, that turned into awe. Usain Bolt has come of age. The laid-back practical joker, who cocked a snook at disciplined lifestyle and still had enough natural talent in the bank to beat seasoned pros with room to spare, finally learnt to become focused at practice, tie his shoelaces while competing, celebrate after a win and even dip his chest to improve his timing.
It shouldn’t surprise then that the Jamaican, under intense pressure from rivals, media, sceptics and even the fans, destroyed the field in both the 100m and 200m finals in world record times of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds in Berlin World Championships in August. The Incredible Bolt also helped Jamaica take the 4x100m relay gold. Bolt later pointed out that an important factor in his effort in Berlin was his improved ‘start’ to the races: His reaction times in the 100m (0.146) and 200m (0.133) were significantly faster than those he had produced in his world record runs at the Beijing Olympics last year.
This was primarily made possible by his coach Glen Mills, who joined forces with the champion in 2005. Mills aimed to cease Bolt’s unprofessional approach to the sport, arming him with a new attitude. However, Bolt’s contribution to athletics goes deeper than just a receding clock.
He lifted the sport from a murky world of dope and lies and gave it a new respectability, made it fashionable again for kids to pursue, parents to acquiesce. He ended 2009 as the first man to hold the 100m and 200m World and Olympic titles at the same time. For his achievements, he received the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year awards.
Comments