Sprint Legend Usain Bolt Was 'Huge Cricket Fan' Growing Up

Legendary sprinter Usain Bolt revealed that cricket was his inspiration to excel on the track, influenced by watching talented cricketers push themselves and give their all on the field.

Bolt, whose name

is synonymous with speed and world records, concluded his career with eight Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championships first-place finishes, a feat unmatched by any track and field athlete.

“For me, I was a huge cricket fan growing up. So, I watched cricket growing up. Watching all the talent of the cricketers growing up and the way they worked and the way they pushed themselves and the way they carried themselves was something that inspired me at a young age to work hard and to be the best that I could be,” said the Jamaican during a “Fireside chat” at the Jamnabai Narsee Campus on Friday.

Jamaica has produced several legendary cricketers like Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, Chris Gayle, and Jeff Dujon, who may have influenced Bolt.

When asked to describe his road to greatness in three words, Bolt, who holds the 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, emphasized that hard work was essential for him.

“For me, it’s as simple as hard work, you know what I mean? It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to the sport. I love track and field, so it’s something that I loved growing up and I worked very hard on.

“… and it was a tough road because it’s never easy to get to the top, but I really wanted to be the best in the world, so I pushed myself through injuries and doubts and tough times to be one of the best in the world, so it’s just dedication,” said the 39-year-old Jamaican, who tried his hand at football post-retirement in 2017.

Most elite athletes, including Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra, have said that defending an Olympic gold is tougher than winning it for the first time, and Bolt agreed.

“Oh, I think defending. I think it’s easier to actually win, but when you’re being chased, it’s actually harder. So, I think defending the second gold was harder.”

With PTI Inputs