Usain Bolt during press conference at the Commonwealth Games. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian
Is Usain Bolt a Track & Field Diva? This question floated around in the many of his admirers mine. This includes athletes and reporters at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. As the World’s fastest man prepares for his upcoming competition at the Commonwealth Games, people are asking, where is Usain? Is Usain Bolt a Track & Field Diva?. The answer is NO WAY, NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE TRUTH. Usain super stardom has attracted everyone in all corners of the world including other athletes in the village. During a discussion with a few of my colleagues, we all agreed that before social media changed the game. Athletes would approach each other to congratulate them and in many cases they still do. Some give a nod of the head from a distance.
Jamaican, Usain Bolt World Fastest Man and six Olympic Gold medal winner.
In today’s world of social media and mobile phone “selfies”, star athletes are approached for pictures inside the “Athlete Village. ” Other athletes approach each other for photos. In the past that was expected when walking in public not so much in the Village. To keep the focus, some athletes choose when they move around in the village. Bolt has been recovering from injuries and has been training hard with long time coach Glen Mills. While speaking to a journalist, Usain stated that ” it was always fun to stay in the athletes’ village. He stated, “I try not to walk around the village too much to avoid taking lots of pictures”. I stay in my room most of the time.”
It was important that Bolt made the adjustment after the 2012 London Olympics where he was overwhelm by other athletes in athlete village looking to take pictures. These days Bolt asked other members of his team to help with the simple stuff like getting him food and other errands. For relaxation, Bolt like many other athletes are in their room playing video games and concentrating and preparing for the events. However, to further distance themselves from the diva question, team Bolt was quick to point out that Usain shares his room with another athlete like the rest of the athletes in athlete village and “He’s always listening to dancehall, reggae, and hip-hop music.”
So, Is Usain Bolt a Track & Field Diva? No he is not; Usain is in Glasgow to compete in the 4 X 100m relay on Friday but will pass on the 100m as he still continues to recover from his injury. As fans around the world slowly wait for the fastest man in the world, the six Olympics Gold medal winner and Jamaican runner Usain Bolt, he is set to make his debut in the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow’s Hampden Park in the 4 X 100m relay which begins this Friday August 1st and ends at 9:15 pm on Saturday.
Usain Bolt, Prince Harry and Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Games.