Bolt Is The Real Deal

 

Bolt applauded the emerging talent of bronze medalist Andre De Grasse after sharing an adjacent lane with the Canadian upstart in the semifinal and final races of the men's 100m at Rio 2016.

"He's going to be good. He runs just like me," Bolt said in an interview with CBC's Scott Oake. "He's really slow out of the blocks, but when he gets going, he gets going. I think he can improve his start much better than me because he's shorter. So he will get better at his start if he works on a few things."

 

He added: "To come third last year (at the World Championship), and then this year, to come in an even better field and to do the same again, that's a big deal."

 

Bolt's support for De Grasse was evident even before he was prompted by the Canadian media. The two were interacting after a false start halted their semifinal, and after the race, microphones picked up Bolt telling De Grasse that he warned countryman Yohan Blake about the Canadian's speed before the 100m final.

 

"Watch him, Blake. He's coming."

 

I am so impressed with how Usain Bolt handles his celebrity with grace and humility. Yes he has swagger and confidence but he is a superstar for all the right reasons.The story of the relationship between these two sprinters is real and not something manufactured. All throughout the semi-finals when he was concerned about his own race, the 'loose as a goose' Bolt made sure to encourage the younger man with the best chance to dethrone him. Big respect.