Book description
Despite his false start in the 100 metres in the Daegu which meant
he could not defend his title, Usain Bolt is that rarity in the modern
world - a man whose fame transcends his nationality, his race and even
his sport. From Los Angeles to Beijing, from Kingston to Berlin, the
name “Bolt” resonates immediately even with those with only a passing
interest in any form of sport. Quite simply, Bolt is the world's
fastest man. And the gangling Jamaican is the fastest man the world
has ever seen by a considerable margin.
The sprinter established
himself in the world's psyche by winning three Olympic gold medals,
the 100, 200 metres and sprint relay, all in world record times, at
the 2008 Beijing Games, a unique achievement. Bolt stamped his
personality on sporting history again a year later at the World
Championships in Berlin when he won both individual sprints, again
with never-before-seen performances, making him the first man to hold
the Olympic and world titles for the 100 and 200 metres at the same.
He may have astonished the athletics world with his fasle start
but Bolt went on to retain his World 200 metres title and then acnhor
the Jamaican 4x100 metres team to victory in a world record
time.
Can anyone ever beat Bolt? Can Bolt run even faster? Bolt
now has his eyes on making another piece of sporting history by
becoming the first man to win back-to-back Olympic 100 metres races
when he lines up for the London Games in 2012.
But the 6ft 5in tall Bolt is by no means an overnight sensation.
His almost freak-like talents have been carefully honed and nurtured
over almost a decade, ever since he took the 200 metres gold medal at
the 2002 World Junior Championships, which made him the competition's
youngest-ever gold medallist at 16.
In this book, award-winning athletics writer Steven Downes, who
has followed the Jamaican since his global debut, charts Bolt's career
so far and forward to the London Olympics.
Award-winning athletics writer Steven Downes, a former editor of
Athletics Weekly, has followed the Jamaican since his global debut.
