Jamaican runner Usain Bolt is the world's most famous athlete. The 100 metre and 200 metre Sprint and 4 x 100 metre relay World Record Holder has massive popular appeal drawn from a huge "sport" and "non-sport" fan base. He's also the highest paid athlete in history, with a net worth estimated at over $20 million. Dr Stephen Simpson uncovers what makes him a world beater.
T
he London 2012 Olympics held some serious question marks for Bolt. Poor previous form, persistent rumours of injury, training setbacks and
a controversial disqualifi cation for a false start in the heats of the 2011 World Championships left many wondering if he could still perform. His starts had long worried him -
until his coach's assurances that his phenomenal late-race acceleration would trump his faster rivals' starts. Focussing on the positives paid off
for Bolt in London, who set a new World Record of 9.63 seconds in the 100 metres final. The audience were delighted with his broad smile, his relaxed chatter to the volunteer at the blocks, his play-acting to the cameras, his victory pose and his five push-ups celebrating his five gold
medals. Post-race, he reiterated, ‘I won because I stopped worrying about my start.’ Like in 2008, Bolt was so far ahead he
could slow down in his last few strides. This time he held his left finger to his mouth, a signal to silence his critics. So what are the secrets of Bolt’s
stellar performance? He says there are no secrets, but this is his secret. He keeps things simple and does not paralyse his mind with technical thoughts. He has no special diet, and eats and drinks whatever he likes. In the starting blocks he claims to think about which pizza to order after the race. In a recent TV interview Bolt was asked for his five top tips for sprinters. He said:
1. Be fast out of the blocks 2. Move easily through transition 3. Run tall at the end of the race
I won
because I stopped worrying about my start
His interviewer politely pointed out
that these were only three tips. Usain looked puzzled, then finally replied that he couldn't think of any more. Why complicate it? In other interviews, he says he stays relaxed before a race, only focuses to a state of 'tunnel vision' when he is in the blocks. Bolt sometimes lacks motivation for tough training, and counters this by