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When you go out to the fans, you shouldn’t look sad or tired, they don’t need that. They come to see you smile, that's why I smile

Jamaican Express

The fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt, talks about training fans through Facebook, the ability to run away from taxi drivers and his first salary.

Vitaly Suvorov
For Friday

09.08.2013, 27 (359)

On Saturday, August 10, Moscow the World Athletics Championships will begin at Luzhniki - perhaps the most high-profile sports forum in , which has been taking place in the capital since the end of the 1980 Olympics. 26-year-old runner Usain Bolt from Jamaica is the main star of any tournament where he is entered. The fastest man on the planet, the world record holder in the 100 and 200 m running, arrived in Moscow in advance - to speak at a Jamaican party at the Puma Social Club site in Gorky Park. correspondent The Friday had only ten minutes to talk with the sprinter.

Usain Bolt stands up and extends his hand to me, and then plops down again on the red sofa in his trailer and stares at the wall. There is still about a week before the World Athletics Championships - but for now Bolt has a busy program: five interviews in an hour, filming in Evening Urgant, a DJ set in Gorky Park and endless training. About forty minutes after this interview, he will get out of the van parked at the very stage where the DJ console is waiting for him, flash a smile and begin to amuse the audience.

“When you go out to your fans, you shouldn’t look sad or tired, they don’t need that,” he explains, looking around. “They come to see you smile, that’s why I smile.” I also read what people write to me on social networks - it inspires me. I receive a lot of messages on Facebook.

- Are you answering?

- Well, of course, I’m unlikely to answer if it’s something like: “ Hey, how are you, dude?” But I answer normal messages. For example, there is one guy from the USA who constantly asks me about training, about running technique - I answer him with pleasure.

“Almost half of the universe dreams of meeting you.” Who would you like to meet?

- Oh, I never even thought about it. I think with Jason Statham , I'm a big fan of his . We met once, but not for long - but we could have been good friends. And also with Angelina Jolie , of course.

— What gives you the greatest pleasure?

“I’m happy when I win titles. But the happiest moment was probably when I won my first medal. And if we take something not related to sports - the day I received my golden Nissan GT-R . I really love cars, so this was really cool.

Cars aren't Bolt's only passion. In his youth, Usain was actively involved in cricket, and if it were not for the coach, who recognized the talent of an athlete in him, he could well have become a star in a completely different sport. Today, Bolt is also not limited to athletics. His favorite team is Manchester United, and his dream is to one day wear a red Devils shirt .

— Did you, like many United fans , cry when Sir Alex Ferguson said goodbye to football this spring?

— I could barely restrain myself from crying. Sir Alex is one of the most successful managers in history, he just decided it was the right time to leave. I'm glad that one day he invited me to train with the United guys . Then we had a great time sitting and chatting.

— Do you still hope to become a Manchester United player?

— I'm open to suggestions ( laughs). That would be very cool, that's my dream.

— You are friends with Cristiano Ronaldo . Is he a funny guy like you?

- Yes, there was such a story. He's driving his Ferrari , I'm next to him. And he says: “ I should buy a new Ferrari.” - “ What’s wrong with this one?” - “ I don’t like the color of this one.” And I was like, “ Haha, seriously? Do you need a new Ferrari because you don’t like the color of this one?” In general, it’s fun to be with Cristiano. Well, he is the best football player now. Between Ronaldo and Messi, I choose Ronaldo.

-Star weekend — This year you took part in the celebrity match, held as part of the All of the National Basketball Association.

- Yes, and by the way, it turned out to be more difficult than I thought - good players, strong competition. So next time you will have to practice first. Who is my favorite basketball player? Kevin Garnett, no question. He just moved to Brooklyn - I think this is a good move. Everyone wants to be on a winning team. Brooklyn today is just such a team.

Bolt comes across as an incredibly relaxed guy. Sun, music and PlayStation ( favorite game is Call of Duty) are the three words he repeats most often when it comes to free time.

- Many people think that you don’t need to train at all - on Twitter you yourself call yourself the most gifted athlete who was born on this planet.

- No, I train a lot. My most typical day looks like this: I wake up around ten, have breakfast, then work out in the gym for an hour and a half. After that, I return home for a couple of hours to relax, play PlayStation, and then go back to training. As a result, it turns out that I study about four to five hours a day. And if we talk about diet, of course, I try to limit myself, and my trainers constantly tell me about it. But I really love McDonald's nuggets, that's true.

Jamaican music blares outside and Bolt occasionally taps his foot on the floor of the van to the beat. Usain's entourage - six or seven black guys in wide pants - laughs loudly at the other end of the trailer.

— Explain why Jamaica is the best place on Earth?

- Because I live there! Seriously, it’s very beautiful there, beautiful beaches, funny people.

- Now you can afford anything, but once upon a time this was not the case. What did you buy with your first salary?

— I gave my mother a washing machine, and my father a car. Dad still has a small store in Jamaica - he sells fish and vegetables. It generally always works. Having started earning money, I said that he could quit his job and just live for his own pleasure. But he doesn’t know how to do that, he always needs to do something. When I go there, it’s a thrill. Everyone knows me, I know everyone - in general, a chill-out.

Bolt's agent, positioned a couple of meters from us, gestures that it's time to call it a day: “ You have a minute left.” Bolt nods in response.

—Have you ever had to run away from someone in real life?

- Of course, I sometimes fool around. I remember one time my friends and I went to hang out and took a taxi . There were about 10 of us. 10 people in one taxi. And then it stops, all my friends fall out and run in all directions. And I am left alone with the driver. Well, I had to run away too ( laughs).

— What talent would you like to have?

- Yes, a lot of everything. I'm sorry that I don't know how to skateboard or BMX, for example. I really want to learn to play the piano, and I will try to do it because I love music.

Dossier:

1986 Born in Jamaica.

2002 For the first time he won at the international level - the world championship among juniors.

2008 Won three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics and repeated this achievement four years later in London.

2009 Set world records that still hold today: 100 m - 9.58; 200m - 19.19.

2012 A lifetime monument made of screws and bolts was erected in Berlin.

Bolt as an engine of trade

According to American Forbes as of June 2013, over the past 12 months, Usain Bolt earned about $24 million, of which only 200 thousand came directly from competitions. Everything else is advertising and sponsorship contracts.

Puma

Bolt signed the contract back in 2003, and after the extension in 2010, he became the highest paid athlete in the world ( $9 million per year).

Nissan

Bolt is a brand ambassador and spokesperson for the GT-R. The agreement has been in force since 2012.

Digicel

Along with Puma, the telecommunications firm became the young runner's first sponsor in 2003. Bolt's image is used in mobile advertising.

Visa

The agreement has been in force since 2012. The company may use images of the runner in videos and on billboards advertising banking services.

Virgin Media

Under a contract signed in early 2012, Bolt advertises broadband Internet services.

Gatorade

The sports drink manufacturer signed a contract with the runner in 2008.

Soul Electronics

As part of the agreement in force since 2012, the Usain Bolt line of headphones was released.

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