Usain Bolt, the legendary Jamaican sprinter and world’s fastest man, grew up as a huge cricket fan, and he credits the hard work of cricketers for pushing him to dominate in athletics. The eight-time Olympic gold medallist, who still holds the men’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds and the 200m mark of 19.19 seconds, shared these insights during a lively fireside chat at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai on Friday.
Bolt has racked up 11 world championship golds too, but he says watching cricketers as a kid fired him up. “I was a huge cricket fan growing up,” he told the audience. “Seeing all that talent, the way they worked hard, pushed themselves, and carried themselves—it inspired me from a young age to grind and be the best I could be.”
The 39-year-old star, who once trained with Manchester United and even tried out for a pro football career in 2017, brought his infectious energy to Mumbai as part of a private corporate event. He lit up the city, connecting with excited fans and soaking in the vibe.
Reflecting on his time in India, Bolt couldn’t hold back his excitement. “Being in India is an incredible experience,” he said. “Meeting so many passionate fans reminds me why sports matter and how they connect people everywhere. The energy here is amazing, and I’m glad to be part of DreamSetGo’s vision to create world-class experiences that bring fans closer to the sports they love.”
When asked about his path to greatness, Bolt kept it straightforward: hard work and dedication. “It’s as simple as hard work, you know what I mean?” he explained. “It takes a lot of dedication to the sport. I love track and field—I grew up loving it and worked super hard on it. The road was tough; it’s never easy getting to the top. But I really wanted to be the best in the world, so I pushed through injuries, doubts, and rough times to make it happen.”
With his Mumbai stop wrapped up, Bolt heads to Delhi next for the second part of his India tour. He was supposed to compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Games here alongside teammates Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake, but he pulled out to focus on the World Championships that year. Fans are thrilled to finally see the sprint king in action on Indian soil.
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