Usain Bolts exploits on the track are well documented. Now as his final run at a major championship looms, the triple world record holder recently made a startling revelation.
Bolt stunned
On Monday, Bolt admitted during a media conference in London that even he was stunned to have had such success in the 100 meters.
In his early years, Bolt was known as a promising 400 meters and 200 meters runner who broke all age group records in his wake. But he rewrote the script when he started competing in the blue riband 100m event in 2007. One year later he would break a record held by compatriot Asafa Powell and the rest is history.
Bolt ran 9.72 seconds in New York in just his fifth senior race over the distance, and has gone on to dominate the event at every major championship. Setting an almost unbreakable 9.58 seconds world record in the process.
He has won the sprint at three successive Olympic Games and also has three IAAF World Championship gold medals to his name.
Ran on a bet
“For me that was something I didn’t expect. I won a bet. I was just doing it because it was a short race. I always wanted to run the 200m.
“Six months, seven months into the 100m I was the world record holder. I had no idea I could do that. After I ran the 9.76 in Jamaica people said it was a fluke. It was kind of shocking to me. I was just doing it because it was a shorter distance,” he said.
Admits he’s a legend
Now, Bolt is seen as one of the greatest athletes of all time. After his golden sweep at the Rio 2016 Olympics, he is finally happy to call himself a legend.
He added: “After Beijing people were calling me a legend, but I was like, no it’s my first Olympics.”
“People said it again after the second Olympics [in London] and I was like, ‘yeah, ok’.
“But when I achieved what I wanted to do, then I was comfortable calling myself a legend because I have proven myself.”
