Usain Bolt competes in Athletics - Olympics: Day 12 - Source: Getty

"I was used to the backlash also"- Usain Bolt opens up about being the face of Jamaica and handling the pressure while competing on the track

Modified Mar 02, 2025 05:06 GMT

Usain Bolt opened up about being the face of Jamaica and handling the pressure of expectations while competing on the global stage as a track and field athlete. The Jamaican athlete revealed that as he started competing on the international level at a young age, he got accustomed to handling pressure as he transitioned to competing in the pro circuit.

Bolt dominated the 100m and the 200m in three consecutive Olympic appearances and emerged as one of the greatest track athletes to ever compete. Moreover, the world records he set back in 2009 in the 100m and the 200m are still standing after 15 years. These incredible achievements made him a household name, and he often comes to people's minds when they think of Jamaica.

The Olympic gold medalist spoke about being the face of Jamaica in his latest appearance on the popular podcast 'Ready Set Go' with Rodney Green and Justin Gatlin. Usain Bolt revealed how he first tasted popularity when he competed in the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, as a 15-year-old, which gave him an idea about the love and expectations of the Jamaican people.

He revealed that over time, he understood that the people were very passionate about the sport and would receive backlash if he did not perform well.

“So when I was 15, I won in Jamaica. Everywhere I went to Jamaica, people would be like, oh, this young kid here. So I was used to it. And when I ran bad, I was used to the backlash also. So I got both things from when I was young. So I understood how it was. You know what I mean? " he said.

And I kind of figured it out by talking to older people, like why are they like this? And they go on, bro, that's just Jamaicans. They love you when you're winning, they hate you when you lose it. You know what I mean? So they say it,” he added.

When Usain Bolt opened up on winning a major race in front of his home crowd in Jamaica

Usain Bolt celebrates: Images From The Book "In The Moment - By Tom Jenkins - Source: Getty

Usain Bolt opened up about winning the World Junior Championships in Jamaica in 2020 in an interview with Track and Field News. Bolt revealed he was extremely nervous before stepping into the stadium to compete in such a major event at 15.

He explained how, while coming off the curve during the 200m, the crowd's cheers boosted him as he pushed towards the finish line.

"I was only 15, was so nervous that I didn’t want to run and put my spikes on the wrong feet. It was in front of my home crowd in Jamaica. When I came through that and won [after a World Youth Record 20.58 in the heats] I said to myself that I should never worry about a race again," he said.

Usain Bolt claimed the victory had a major impact on him as it helped him develop self-belief and fight the fear of competing in global competitions.