My body wasn’t listening – Usain Bolt Opens Up on the Chaos of His Junior Championships Debut

My body wasn’t listening – Usain Bolt Opens Up on the Chaos of His Junior Championships Debut

Festus Chuma 11:06 - 01.05.2025

Usain Bolt reflects on his nerve-wracking 2001 World Juniors debut and how it shaped his legendary sprinting career.

Usain Bolt has revealed the intense pressure and nerves he faced during his debut at the 2001 World Youth Championships.

The 38-year-old sprinting legend, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in history, recounted the harrowing experience during a candid conversation with former Olympic medalist Colin Jackson on the Go Wild Podcast.

Bolt, who was just 14 years old at the time of the event in Debrecen, Hungary, shared how the weight of national expectation affected him even before stepping onto the track.

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Having already made a name for himself at the 2001 CARIFTA Games in Barbados by winning silver medals in both the 200m and 400m events, Bolt felt the eyes of the athletics world upon him.

“When you say pressure, that [World Juniors] was such a good moment because I've never been so nervous my entire life. World Juniors, I'll never forget, I was walking out the tunnel, and then the other people started chanting 'Bolt, Bolt!', and I'm like 'What's Happening?' You know what I mean? I couldn't stride out. My legs were weak. I put the wrong shoe on the wrong foot. I was losing it, I was so nervous,” Bolt said.

Despite the overwhelming nerves and a chaotic pre-race experience, Bolt managed to clock a personal best of 21.73 seconds in the 200m, though he failed to reach the final.

While the result may not have reflected the legend he would soon become, the experience laid the foundation for his future resilience and maturity on the global stage.

One year later, Bolt returned stronger at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, where he claimed a gold and two silver medals.

Beyond his athletic feats, Bolt also opened up about the pivotal moment when he chose track and field over cricket, his first love.

Bolt turned professional in 2004 and competed in his first Olympic Games in Athens that same year.

Though he was eliminated in the heats, he returned with a vengeance in subsequent years, eventually earning eight Olympic gold medals and setting world records in the 100m and 200m events that still stand today.

Usain Bolt has revealed the intense pressure and nerves he faced during his debut at the 2001 World Youth Championships.

The 38-year-old sprinting legend, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in history, recounted the harrowing experience during a candid conversation with former Olympic medalist Colin Jackson on the Go Wild Podcast.

Bolt, who was just 14 years old at the time of the event in Debrecen, Hungary, shared how the weight of national expectation affected him even before stepping onto the track.

Having already made a name for himself at the 2001 CARIFTA Games in Barbados by winning silver medals in both the 200m and 400m events, Bolt felt the eyes of the athletics world upon him.

“When you say pressure, that [World Juniors] was such a good moment because I've never been so nervous my entire life. World Juniors, I'll never forget, I was walking out the tunnel, and then the other people started chanting 'Bolt, Bolt!', and I'm like 'What's Happening?' You know what I mean? I couldn't stride out. My legs were weak. I put the wrong shoe on the wrong foot. I was losing it, I was so nervous,” Bolt said.

Despite the overwhelming nerves and a chaotic pre-race experience, Bolt managed to clock a personal best of 21.73 seconds in the 200m, though he failed to reach the final.

While the result may not have reflected the legend he would soon become, the experience laid the foundation for his future resilience and maturity on the global stage.

One year later, Bolt returned stronger at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, where he claimed a gold and two silver medals.

Beyond his athletic feats, Bolt also opened up about the pivotal moment when he chose track and field over cricket, his first love.

Bolt turned professional in 2004 and competed in his first Olympic Games in Athens that same year.

Though he was eliminated in the heats, he returned with a vengeance in subsequent years, eventually earning eight Olympic gold medals and setting world records in the 100m and 200m events that still stand today.