Usain Bolt was indeed too fast at times to fathom with the naked eye while running. The Jamaican track and field star had some crazy runs during his career. Bolt broke the world record multiple times until he decided to settle at 9.58s for the 100m and the 200 meters with a blistering time of 19.19 seconds. Seriously, back in the day, he looked almost without competition—so much so that he often had enough time to look back at his opponents, giving them a cheeky wave as he jogged his way to the finish line.

Thus, quite expectedly, with a champion of such charisma, fans showered him with love and admiration. But as with all good things, the party had to end eventually. After dazzling the track and field world for years, it was time for the king to hang up his running shoes following the Rio Olympics.

But the fans were not just ready yet to say goodbye to the best generational talent of the tracks. Appearing in a candid conversation with Usain Bolt recently, ‘High Performance’ uploaded snippets of the same on YouTube. Reflecting on his comeback at the London World Championships in 2017, Bolt revealed a surprising fact. The track legend said that he was being requested to make one final appearance in London. And being the fastest man alive, the Jamaican phenom could not turn it down. 

But right before his training took shape, he was hit with unexpected tragic news. Bolt revealed that he lost one of his close friends in a motorcycle accident. Traumatized by the news, Bolt immediately succumbed to depression and let go of his strict training regime. Reminiscing the incident, Bolt said, “That year I lost one of my very close friends to a motorcycle accident in April. And it really was with me for a while. And I didn’t train. I was sad, and it was just drinking and just trying to get past that moment because it was just sudden.”

Now, such a let-off in the professional realm can be brutal. And so, after missing days of training, Bolt’s body was not ready for the championship. Getting checked by his doctor, the World Record holder was repeatedly warned not to attend the event. But Bolt was too much in love with his fans. Thus, not willing to play spoilsport, the legend did show up for the 2017 World Championships.

Unfortunately, his doctor’s warnings eventually came true. While the crowd got to see their favorite athlete run, Bolt did pull a hamstring towards the end of his 4×100 m relay. In the long run, this injury proved to be the deciding factor for which Bolt never returned to the track again. Thus, there is no telling about how invested the Jamaican champion was with his fans. However, sometimes, his fame did cause him significant discomfort. 

Usain Bolt reveals the downside of being too famous

Fame is surely a virtue that everyone wants to enjoy. Going by the above example, it is evident that Bolt cared a lot for his fans. However, too much of anything is always a harm. Thus, when the hype train got overcrowded, Bolt had no choice but to surround himself with a barrier. Speaking with High Performance on YouTube, Bolt detailed the pangs of his Olympic fame. 

Initially, Bolt felt free to roam around the Olympic village. Having a nice time with his teammates, the Jamaican enjoyed the delicious food and strolled down the village streets. However, everything would change once he won the gold medal the following day. Immediately, the spacious dining hallway began to fill up with people that almost suffocated the track and field legend. 

Narrating his experience, Bolt opined, “The day after the 100m, I remember walking into the dining hall, and everybody went silent. Everyone wanted a picture, everyone wanted to touch you, and I was like, “What’s happening?”…It was fun, but it wasn’t fun.” Thus, enjoying every highs and lows in life, Usain Bolt can now proudly rest and look on as the young generation tries to replicate and break his deeds of monumental proportions.