?Competition Is the Easy Part?- Usain Bolt Reveals the Hardest Part to Become a World-Class Sprinter

The Track & Field community sorely missed Usain Bolt in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The games marked the first time since 2004 that Bolt was not a part of the event. After a record-breaking career, which saw Bolt grasp eight Olympic gold medals, he retired in 2017. Most of his records remain unbroken to this day. Bolt’s speed, dominance, and hard work have become an inspiration for the younger generation of athletes.

All this success did not come easy for Usain. All the competitions won and the records broken required a lot of hard work that went into it. And Bolt has a piece of advice for the same.

Usain Bolt talks about hard work

When one has attained the level of experience Bolt has, they start seeing the practical side of things- the things that matter more. Winning or losing is an important part, but the competitions are not just about that. It is also about the work one puts in on the path to competing. The Jamaican knows this very well and shared an ‘inside’ piece of knowledge for the up-and-coming athletes in the world.

Natural ability is one thing, but to refine it and carve it into a well-balanced record-breaking ability takes work. Talking about hard work, Bolt said, “Competition is not the reality.” He added, “the work is behind the scene. Competition is the easy part. Behind the scenes, that’s why the work is done. Everything is done to get that one race you need to run.”

He also added that looking at someone running looks effortless, but it is not the case. It takes sacrifices on a daily basis. There are days when one just wants to quit and go home. The pain makes one want to give up everything. Bolt said there are days when one doesn’t want to train, but they always have to.

READ MORE: You?ve Overcome So Much: Usain Bolt Sends Inspiring Message to Emirati Olympian Who Idolizes Him

Notably, Bolt is one of the most successful athletes in the Track and Field events. He has won 8 Olympic gold medals. In the World Championships, Usain has 11 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal.

Bolt’s tips for a better sprint

Usain has never held back on sharing tips with prospects on how to become a better runner. He has often shared pointers he learned during his professional career.

One of Bolt’s most prominent tips is ‘Start like I say, not as I do.’ This is regarding the start of a race. Bolt was famous for his speed, but he was equally renowned for his slow starts. The Jamaican lightning bolt was a known slow sprinter at the starting blocks. And he urges the younger generation to work on the start and let everything else flow naturally.

The other tip he has is to not rush to ‘run tall.’ He says if one pushes to pop right up and run, it is harder to achieve the top speed. What Bolt suggests is to stay in the ‘Drive Phase’ for the first 30m of the race and then gradually come up.

DIVE DEEPER: How Does Olympic Legend Usain Bolt Match Up Against A Metro Train?

Bolt has acted as a source of inspiration for many young athletes and continues to help them develop in their disciplines.