A rather intriguing trivia says that the average human takes about 9 odd seconds to tie his shoelaces. In those few seconds, Usain Bolt canters past his fellow racers in the 100 meters. He is the king of cool, the fastest man on the planet. He has danced, waved, jogged and smiled to the finish line on many breathtaking occasions. At times, you wonder how he covers the shortest distance with the longest of gaps with such effortless ease.
At the Beijing Olympics, Bolt was ahead of the silver medallist by 2 impossible meters. He could have cracked open a bottle of champagne and lit a cigar on his way to the finish line. Today, he is not as fast as he used to be in 2008-9. But he’s still faster than the rest. And that’s the mastery he exhibits over his art.
Unlike other sport stars, Bolt doesn’t hog your screen time throughout the year. A mere 9 seconds is all he offers you in twelve months. And the impact he has – on your imagination and your dropped jaws – for the rest of the year, are legendary. At 29, with six Olympic gold medals behind him, Bolt is ready for Rio. This could be his swansong. A blisteringly inspiring sonnet on speed, only he could compose.
