By Khushi Namdev
Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt, once celebrated as the fastest man on earth and an eight-time Olympic gold medallist, is now facing the inevitable effects of ageing. Even after years of unmatched dominance on the track, Bolt has recently spoken about the physical challenges that come along with growing older, showing that even the greatest and hardest-working athletes are not immune to the effects of ageing.
Unfortunately, the sprinting bullet – Usain Bolt, known for his everlasting world records, is struggling even with the bare minimum movement. Once celebrated as the greatest athlete of all time, Bolt’s records remain untouched even after a decade. He still holds the records of finishing in 9.58 seconds in 100m, 19.19 seconds in 200m, and 36.84 seconds in the 4×100m relay.
An athlete who once redefined the limits of athleticism and spent nearly all of his time on the track is now struggling to perform even simple routines in the gym. These days. Usain spends most of his time at home, enjoying quality time with his three kids, binge-watching shows, or building LEGO sets together.
The Olympic track and field events were absolutely unmissable, with millions around the world turning on their screens early in anticipation of Bolt’s sprint. The legendary runner holds 11 world titles and 8 Olympic gold medals between 2008 and 2016. His iconic “to Da Word Pose” became widely popular, and his dominance over top competitors like Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake reflected his fiery passion and unmatched personality.
In an interview with The Guardian, he shared that he is not very fond of routine gym workouts and wishes to start running laps again to improve his stamina and posture. Bolt was diagnosed with Scoliosis, a condition that causes curvature of the spine. He revealed that his spine remained shaped like an “S” despite undergoing constant therapy, core strengthening, and other treatments, which reportedly almost ended his career.
It all seems to come to an end for athletes with age; the worst part is seeing these strong and persistent individuals you once admired grow old and suffer in pain due to the body’s inevitable decline.