Olympic Legend Usain Bolt Reveals Running Away From Security Guards Made Him Gain Speed as a Youngster

Star sprinter, Usain Bolt recently revealed how he used to run away from mango orchards as a young boy, which led him to develop his sprinting skills as a child. 

The athlete has 11 World Championships and 8 Olympic medals to his credit and still has an unbeaten record that many await to overtake.

Usain Bolt on his childhood and its impact on his career

In an interview with The Guardian, Bolt said that as a young boy, he and his friends would go to mango orchards, and would run out as soon as someone started chasing them.

 “Sometimes you’d go to a mango orchard that you knew you shouldn’t be in and someone would chase you out. That’s where I got my first taste of running away as fast as I could,” he said.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates after winning gold in the Men’s 200m Final on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 9, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Bolt grew up in the small town of Sherwood Content in Jamaica, in a traditional Jamaican household. He talked about his father, who owned a farm, and, as youngsters, how they always had so many fresh fruits to relish over.

“Like every Jamaican household on a Sunday, we’d have rice, peas, and fried chicken… My dad had a farm where he would grow yam, banana, and potatoes, so we ate a lot of ground food. Fruit trees were the best things. We could get mangos, apples, guavas, and anything you could think of straight off the tree without having to say, ‘Mum, I’m hungry,’” Bolt said. 

Track star turned producer and footballer

While ‘The Lightning Bolt’ may have retired from athletics back in 2017, he is still pursuing other interests. He is now not just a professional football player, but also a renowned producer as well.

Soccer Football – Soccer Aid 2021 – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – September 4, 2021, England’s Wayne Rooney in action with World XI’s Usain Bolt Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

After 11 World Championships, 8 Olympic Medals, and an unbeaten record of 9.58, Usain Bolt embarked on his second career as a footballer, trialing for the Norwegian club Strømsgodset and then for the Australian team Central Coast Mariners. 

Recently, Bolt also released his dancehall and reggae album, Country Yutes, along with his best friend, Nugent ‘NJ’ Walker. His rich Jamaican roots inspired his album and new profound music career. The album is currently circling the top at the Billboard Reggae Album charts, and Bolt’s dream of winning a Grammy doesn’t look far away now.

WATCH THIS STORY: Usain Bolt Says Sha’Carri ‘Talking Sh*t’ Upset Jamaicans: “Back It Up”

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