JOIN USMy aim is to put on a great show for the fans, says Bolt
The wind would have spotted a worthy rival when Usain Bolt hit the headlines six years ago in Beijing. Such was his power, poise and pace that his rivals were left breathless in their attempts to catch up with the Jamaican thunderbolt.
Six years on, they still are struggling and his records are still very much intact. Bolt has grown into a phenomenon not just on the sporting sphere — he is a marketing man’s dream as well.
Simply put, Planet Bolt is a busy place. Everyone wants a share of the superstar and it is tough to please them all. Even in that busy schedule during his flying visit to Bangalore, Bolt found time to speak to Deccan Herald on matters athletics while paying glowing tributes to his sponsor Puma, for standing by him for the last 14 years. “They identified my talent early and stood by me, even when I was struggling with injuries,” he said.
Excerpts:
You assumed the role as an ambassador for the sport pretty early in your career. How do you look at it, given that it involves much more than turning up and running fast?
It’s about helping people and that is something which I like. I enjoy spreading the message of my sport and even after I retire, I would like to be associated with that role.
You have had a successful relationship with your coach Glen Mills. How did that trust develop and how vital is that relationship?
It is an understanding that has developed over the years. There were problems when we started as I wasn’t sure what he was doing and he wasn’t certain of what I wanted to do. But over the years, we began to understand each other and we became friends more than athlete and coach. He is like a father figure to me. It is very important that you have full trust in your coach. For me, I realised that he is capable of taking me to a different level and it has worked wonders. It has been simply brilliant having him with me -- he is just the perfect coach for me.
You will be returning to the scene of one of your greatest triumphs, Beijing, next year, for the World Championships. What are your goals there?
I would like to go there and try to do what I did last time. To break records will be brilliant but to put on a great show for the fans -- that is my aim.
With many of your main rivals hit by one problem or the other, does the lack of a rivalry hit your motivation to try and push your boundaries?
Sometimes it does. But I have learned over the years that I can’t just focus on my fellow competitors, I have to focus on myself, be ready to compete with myself and compete with the clock — even if no one’s there, to try and meet the expectations of the fans.
You have had your share of setbacks -- injuries, that false start in Daegu. How do you deal with them?
I have learned over the years that setbacks do happen. But when it happens, you just have to look around and see whether I can fix it. If I can, I fix it and move on. You can never dwell on the past, you should never dwell on the past; you should learn from the past and move on.
Could you pick your top five races?
The first one would be my 200M gold medal at the World Junior Championship in 2002, when I was just 15. And then comes the 100M at the Beijing Olympic Games. My first world record (9.72 at New York in May 2008) will be next up and the 200M at Beijing will be the fourth. The 100M world record (9.58) at Berlin will be the fifth one.
Athletics has had several setbacks over the years including several doping scandals. How can we tide over these issues?
My way would be to try and encourage people not to get drawn into that kind of negativity. I know it is hard but given what has happened, you have to stay positive and give it your all. If you are good enough, you will know that if you work hard, you will be successful.
Would you support the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics?
If it is T20, yes. It will certainly benefit cricket as it gets a bigger audience. It will be wonderful for the sport.