Usain Bolt
The Times Magazine, September 2010
You get used to having someone standing there, waiting for you to pee. I'm one of the most tested athletes in the world and that's fine. It's important to show you're drug-free. Sometimes they take their job a little too seriously though. Watching's one thing, but I don't like it when they really stare ...
Being competitive is in my blood. I want to be the best at anything I do.
All I know about carrying myself, I learnt from my parents. They live the same simple life as they did before I became famous. They've never pretended to be anything they're not.
Not all kids in Jamaica grow up in a home with both their mother and their father so I was especially lucky.
My dad's the big boss and really old school. My mum was the soft one, saying, 'Come here. Don't cry'. But he'd be like, 'Buck up and be a man!' Together, they struck the balance between love and discipline.
My half-brother Sidiki is lighter-skinned than me so when he gets a line shaved into his hair, it shows up really brightly. With me, you can hardly see it. I always cuss him out about that. It makes me really jealous.
Always push to be the best you can be. But don't push yourself too far. Stay honest with yourself. Recognise and be realistic about your limits .
I learnt a hard lesson at the Athens Olympics (hampered by a leg injury, Bolt failed to shine at the 2004 Games). To want to do your best for your country and then have your own people turn on you ... ? I tell youngsters coming up behind me, 'Compete for yourself, first and foremost, not for other people.'
I'm learning Spanish. I'm doing it for the ladies. So many beautiful women are Spanish-speaking and you're effectively struck dumb if you can't communicate with them.
Being a champion means making sacrifices. I love to go out and party, but when my coach says to me, 'The next two months are crucial', I'm smart and I listen. I put in the hard work and look forward to enjoying myself at the end of it.
Dominos is like the national sport in Jamaica. It brings people together - but also pushes them apart, 'cos we play in teams and take the game very, very seriously.
Once you're famous, the whole world wants to know you. I associate with a lot of people but I probably only have 10 true friends, all of whom I've known for years.
Dancehall music always makes me want to get up on my feet and while I'm a good mover, I'm not the greatest. I used to be better but it's hard to feel comfortable when you know everyone's looking at you.
My financial advisor back home is very good. We understand each other. As a kid you want to buy stuff and he doesn't try to hold back all my money. But he does makes sure all the important things are covered and that I only spend what I can afford.
The most extravagant thing I've bought myself is a new BMW X6. I love BMWs. Love them! I'd like a Ferrari, of course, but there's no dealership in Jamaica so you couldn't get it serviced.
Physical attraction will always be the spur when it comes to relationships, but I want someone who knows what they want in life and is prepared to work hard to get it, not someone really laid-back.
My mother cooked, cleaned and worked so hard to make everything perfect for me. I think I judge girls quite hard as a result. In fact, I'm probably gonna have to lower my standards a bit, 'cos I'm not meeting anyone who measures up.
I'm a sharp but simple dresser. Keeping up with fashion is a pressure I don't need. I'd never have a stylist. It'd just be a waste of money.
Watching me, I hope kids see the importance of being focussed, tough and of working towards your goals - that's how I became a world champion. But they should enjoy themselves too. Success isn't worth a thing if you're not having fun.
I want to be a legend. That's what I'm moving towards. The 2016 Olympics in Brazil will be my last competition and by then, I hope I'll have achieved my dream.
Copyright © 2020 Alan Jackson