Looking after three babies under two is tougher than running 100m in 9.6 secs!
are meant to be broken. “I know it’s great to be called the fastest man in the world but if someone breaks my 200 metres record it would hurt more than the 100 metres because the 200 has been my favourite event from the start.
“That’s what I did when I started track and field until the end. It’s something that I... hold dear to my heart.”
Sprinting faster than anyone has ever seen has earned Usain global fame and a €76million fortune.
But the 6ft 5in megastar, whose parents Wellesley and Jennifer ran a grocery store in the small town of Sherwood Content in the north of Jamaica, has also endured racism.
“I didn’t get a lot. But there were a few times and incidents when I got a little bit. One incident I remember, I was at a championship and, because the rooms are so small I couldn’t open the massage bed in the room.
“So we got permission from the hotel staff to do it in the hall. A lady passed and I could see how nervous she was. And she called security on us.
“No matter how much I told them we got permission to be in the hall doing a massage, he didn’t really care. He was really aggressive towards us.”
Usain has encouraging words for footballers Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who received horrific racist messages after missing penalties in the Euros, which he describes as “really sad”.
He says: “Now I know it must be tough. But you all have a bright future ahead of you – you are all young superstars in the making. Work hard, stay off social media and don’t listen to people. People have seen your talent.”
Usain also sent a message of support to tennis star Naomi Osaka, who pulled out of this year’s Wimbledon tournament for the sake of her mental health.
He, perhaps more than most, has felt the pressure of mass and fierce expectation to win. But the athlete, whose mental strength is studied in training sessions across the world, has a refreshingly simple way of coping.
“For me, I stay away from social media. I use it but a lot of people tend to read the comments and read every story they see on themselves. I avoid that completely.” Usain’s ambitions have now switched from running down a track to walking... down the aisle.
“I’m definitely going to get married in the future, for sure,” he says.
And in retirement Usain is indulging in more of what he loves, including making music and kicking back with some beers – reduced-calorie ones as he’s an ambassador for Michelob Ultra.
He says: “Right now I’m producing music – it’s my new thing. I’ve just dropped a new single, It’s a Party, so check it out. And if you work as hard as me, a few beers won’t trouble you.
“After all this work, if you don’t enjoy yourself, what’s the point?”
Follow @Michelobultrauk for a chance to win reduced-calorie beer. Also available at Morrisons.
Disappointing news at Countdown where Susie Dent explained that, as English is a living language, common abuses – sorry, I mean mistakes – such as saying “pacific” instead of “specific” could one day be considered acceptable.
I never expected Susie to upset me like that. Still, I guess it serves me right for putting her on a pedal stool.
P.S. Susie’s new host Anne Robinson has been criticised by viewers for ridiculing some of the contestants’ hometowns.
My guess is Anne will no doubt remain unmoved by the negative feedback. Her face definitely will.