"Ordinary people always talk like 'I think I can do it'" - Usain Bolt on running against fans at the Olympics

By Ketaki Pansare

Modified Nov 21, 2024 02:10 GMT

Usain Bolt shared his thoughts on the common misconception that 'ordinary people' have about professional sprinters. Bolt recalled how people believed they could match his speed despite his exceptional skills.

The retired Jamaican sprinter is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, clinching eight gold medals across the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. His record-breaking performances in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events solidified his status as the fastest man in history.

Bolt recently attended the GQ Men of the Year awards and spoke to presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg on the red carpet. The Jamaican said that he often gets asked to race by fans when they meet him. When asked if he found that annoying, the 38-year-old said:

"When adults do it. I'm okay with the kids but when adults do it..."

At this point, the interviewer suggested that a common person should run alongside athletes in the 100m final at the Olympics in order to highlight the differences in pace and skills

Bolt responded that it was necessary, adding that non-athletes often think they can defeat the athletes.

"I feel it's necessary. Because a lot of ordinary people always talk like, 'I think I can do that.' (0:19)

Usain Bolt on his overnight global fame

Usain Bolt at the Beijing Olympics (Image Source: Getty)

Usain Bolt made his Olympic debut in Athens 2004, when he was still a teenager. However, he failed to win a medal.

The Jamaican won two golds at the 2008 Olympics in the 100m and 200m, clocking then-world-record timings in both events (9.69 seconds and 19.30 seconds).

Speaking in an episode of the High-Performance podcast not long back, Usain Bolt recalled the reactions he received from fellow athletes in the Olympic Village after his record-breaking performances, saying:

"The day after the 100m, I remember walking into the dining hall, and everybody went (miming everyone coming at him), and it was just everybody want to picture. Everybody wanted to touch. Everybody was like, what's happening, you know, what I mean and it was actually my shot put guys, and the distance guys were actually my security guard, and had to get me out of the dining room because I could not stay in there," Bolt said. (31:39 onwards)

Usain Bolt ended his illustrious Olympics career with three golds at Rio 2016. His professional career came to an end at the 2017 World Championships in London.