Sport
Usain Bolt seeks to repeat ‘living legend’ status at London Olympics
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. PHOTO/File
And now, the encore.
Sprinting sensation Usain Bolt is the world record holder, the defending Olympic champion and, these days, an international man of mystery.
Beginning on Saturday, at a low-profile meet in his home country of Jamaica, the world will start finding out what Bolt has in store for the London Games. So far this year, his most notable race has been a laugh-filled photo op with Prince Harry during the British royal’s visit to Kingston in March.
Since then, the world’s fastest man has been training hard, trying to become, in his words, “a living legend,” trying to set aside worries that nagging injuries have made him something less as a competitor.
“He has set that ‘living legend’ theme as a motivational factor for him,” his coach, Glen Mills, said last week. “It’s a standard of preparation and performance that he has set. Defending the titles successfully is the main objective for him. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Unlike 2008, when Bolt headed into the Olympic year as the new man on the scene and a relatively unknown commodity, he is the man to beat this time around. But there are plenty of obstacles along the way — none more formidable than the athlete who trains alongside him, Yohan Blake.
Last year, Blake won gold at the world championships after Bolt was disqualified for a false start in the 100 meters.
Blake’s best time in the 100 is 9.82 seconds, though he also owns the world’s second-fastest time in the 200 — the 19.26 he ran last September after taking Bolt’s advice on how to maneuver through the curve.
