BANGALORE, India, CMC- Sprint superstar Usain Bolt admitted yesterday that his decision to pursue a career in track and field was based on the advice of his father.
The world’s fastest man has conceded that his passion was to represent Jamaica in cricket but changed his mind after his father convinced him to take to the tracks.
“Blame it on my dad. My father is a huge cricket fan, but when I got to higher secondary, I had two options — cricket or athletics,” said Bolt, the six-time Olympic gold medallist on a promotional visit to India.
“My dad said because of the system in Jamaica, it would be better to take up athletics. He said, ‘You just have to run fast in athletics while it’s tougher to get into the national (cricket) team’.”
Bolt, an ardent cricket fan, was in Bangalore to captain a seven-a-side team against one led by India’s cricket World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh.
The exhibition match, organised by both men’s sponsors, was staged in a stadium in the southern city of Bangalore.
The world record holder in both the 100 metres and 200 metres said his records at this stage were “pretty much out of reach”.
“There are quite a few runners who could challenge me but not beat me,” said Bolt. “As an athlete, I have seen records come and go. They have always been broken, but if you want to be as great as me, you have to work very hard. That’s why my records will stand the time.”
Bolt, who has raced four times this season, plans to compete in his final Olympics in Rio in 2016 leading up to his retirement.