crowning moment
WORLD-RENOWNED JAMAICAN track and field coach Glen Mills recounted the 2009 World Athletics Championships as the defining moment in his career.
Being the handler for the world’s fastest man for over 12 years, Mills says he has witnessed many amazing feats in the sport of track and field, however, the 2009 World Championships will always stand out in his memory.
“The two milestone world-record performances from Usain speaks for itself, they were easily some of the greatest performances in the sport of track and field, and I am delighted and gratified that I was able to witness them.”
Mills added that the performances had even more significance since Bolt was unable to train leading up to the championships.
“We had to work overtime to get Usain in shape because he was recovering from an injury he picked up in a car accident, so our training time was minimal. He was, however, confident and determined to put in a good showing, and history has spoken for itself.” After smashing the 100m world record, Mills said Bolt dedicated the win to him.
“When he won the 100m he came over to me and said, ‘Coach, this one is for you’. I knew how hard he had worked for it because he always preferred the 200m over the 100m, so I know it was a significant and special moment for him,” Mills shared. Mills said the camp never once discussed breaking any of the world records, but he knew that the feat was possible based on the sprinter’s progress in the training sessions leading up to the day.
“He was doing some remarkable times in training, and I was not surprised when he ran the 9.58 and the 19.19, the atmosphere in the stadium was also a major boost, because everyone was cheering for Bolt,” Mills added.