There is really no need to introduce who Usain Bolt is. But the manner in which he has impacted and changed the modern track and field dynamics, Bolt’s achievements hold significant importance. Back in the day, the concept of running fast was bulldozed by the Jamaican. When he clocked 9.58s to become the Fastest Man on the Planet, the world looked on in disbelief. Coming from a humble background, Bolt went on to become a track and field legend whose timings are still unscathed to this day. But how did he get himself motivated enough to keep repeating his incredible runs day in and day out? 

Well, for starters, Usain Bolt comes from a humble background in Jamaica. Having seen financial problems firsthand, Bolt knew he had to do something big. But athletics was not his first love. Exploring more popular genres like cricket and soccer, Bolt finally had his tryst with destiny with track and field. Even then, the Jamaican legend was afraid of one particular form of run.

And to avoid getting included in that particular category, Bolt decided to double his efforts in the 100m and 200m. In a recent interaction on the Ready Set Go podcast, Rodney Green asked what motivated him to run. To further explain the query, US track legend Justin Gatlin asked him whether he had any sprinters who motivated him to do well.

“I’ve never said this before, bro. The only reason—there’s no—there’s no ‘Oh, I want to be like this guy.’ I just never wanted to run the 100.”

He further mentions how it was not a big deal for him, whether it be 100 meters or 400. He says, “The 400 meters—I didn’t care. I didn’t care about nothing. The fear of the 400, bro. I just— I just didn’t want to do it,” said Bolt. Well, that is quite a shocking admission from someone who is touted as a track legend. But Bolt had his justifications ready. 

Bolt went on to explain that during his childhood, he usually ran 400 m and even won the Boys and Girls Championships. But soon he realized that the 400m requires a lot more hard work than the 200m or the 100m races. “I started running the 400 meters because I did that at the Boys and Girls Championships in my last year, and I won. So L-1 was doing two-four, but I understand the work that you have to put in for the 400. I was like, ‘Nah.’ So I didn’t really have a motivation—I just didn’t want to do the 400 meters,” said Bolt. 

Surely, his childhood struggles did become a boon. Otherwise, the world might not have witnessed the dawning of the Usain Bolt era.  Moving on, Bolt also made it clear that his favorite category to race was not the 100m but the 200m events. As he was initially slow off the blocks, Bolt preferred the 200m so that he could make up for his lost timing.

Meanwhile, despite working so hard to build his legacy, Usain Bolt has come face to face with a significant crisis. An estimated retirement fund of $12.8 million has resulted in fraud from Usain Bolt’s SSL account!

Will Usain Bolt ever recover his lost millions?

Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, now finds himself in a race for justice—one that seems to have no finish line. Nearly two years after discovering that $12.8 million of his retirement savings had vanished, the Jamaican legend is still searching for answers. But with each passing day, his frustration grows, and his faith in the authorities continues to erode.

“It’s been two years, and we not really hear much really come, you know?” Bolt admitted, his patience clearly wearing thin. What began as an investigation into massive fraud at Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) has yielded little to no tangible results. Despite assurances from officials, Bolt has yet to see a single cent recovered or any real accountability for the scandal that rocked Jamaica’s financial sector.

The sprinting legend, once hopeful that the government and banking system would take swift action, now sounds disillusioned. Bolt shared, “We leave it up to them, but that team says, ‘Yo, we start do something.’ Two years now, and know we not getting positive feedback from nothing, from nobody.” His attorney, Linton P. Gordon, has also raised similar concerns.

Linton has been calling out the authorities for failing to protect those defrauded and questioning their response to the entire fiasco. While some have attempted to shift blame onto Bolt for his financial losses, Gordon made it clear that all necessary documents confirmed the legitimacy of the investments.

“Furthermore, Mr. Ken Tomlinson, who was appointed by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) to take temporary management of SSL, found records confirming these lodgements and has attested to them in the Supreme Court.” Yet, despite the evidence, Bolt remains stuck in a seemingly endless loop of unanswered questions and unfulfilled promises.

Now, as he breaks his silence, Bolt isn’t just seeking justice for himself. He’s speaking up for every ordinary citizen who places their trust in the system. If a global icon like him can be left in financial limbo, what does that mean for everyone else? With the world watching, the pressure is mounting, and the question remains. Will Bolt finally get the justice he deserves? Or will his fight become a cautionary tale of misplaced trust?