“I Live for the Energy”- Usain Bolt Admits He Would Not Be as Fast Without Fan Support at the Olympics

Published 07/23/2021, 2:28 PM EDT

Usain Bolt dominated the tracks for three consecutive editions of the Olympics, winning gentle 100m and 200m golds in Beijing, London, and Rio. His dominance in the sport was undisputed and in his prime, he was well and truly the fastest man on the planet.

Having retired from track life, the Jamaican seems to count his lucky stars he was not a part of the team heading to Tokyo this year. Unlike previous editions of the Games, there will be no spectators allowed to witness the events live.

This was due to the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo which prompted the government to take this big decision. Looking at the situation now, Bolt is not sure whether he would be able to perform as well in the silence.

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“I definitely feel having empty stadiums would affect me” he admitted in an interview with The Mirror. “I feel the crowd, I live for the energy, the vibe, the noise. So for me to walk into an empty stadium, I feel it would affect me a little.”

Usain Bolt believes his world record would not be as good without fans

The Jamaican was a showman of the highest order and grew not only as the fastest man on the planet but an icon. Without fans, he goes so far as to claim that his records would not be as fast.

“I really don’t know. I think I would have run fast but I don’t think the record would be so great, do you know what I mean? Because when I walk out and I get that chill and that vibe, it always drives me to do even better,” he said.

That being said, Bolt believes athletes must not be phased by the absence of fans. He adds that the Games were delayed by an entire year so they must see this as an opportunity rather than half a chance.

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“So I personally feel like they deserve this. Just like how they are playing football and everything else,” Bolt said. “They should just carry out the right protocols and it should be able to go on.”

Usain Bolt will not be making a return to the tracks but is ready to see a new gold medallist in the 100m and 200m events. His records may never be touched but the word of athletics is unpredictable and Bolt himself knows surprises can come from anywhere.

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Luke Dias is a senior WWE and AEW author at EssentiallySports, having published more than 1000 articles on professional wrestling. Having completed courses in Advanced Writing from the University of California and Media and Ethics from the University of Amsterdam, Luke is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Xavier’s College. His tremendous knowledge of WWE history enables him to make past connections, adding depth to the articles.

“I Live for the Energy”- Usain Bolt Admits He Would Not Be as Fast Without Fan Support at the Olympics

Usain Bolt believes his world record would not be as good without fans

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