Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell Talks Friendship, Career, How Jamaicans Treat Athletes, and Usain Being Booed at National Stadium – Watch Video
Usain Bolt joined his friend and former athletic colleague Asafa Powell in a chit-chat, reflecting on their careers, experiences, and delightful friendship. During a session of The Powells’ Fast Lane Lifestyle, the two retired Track and Field champions sat on a balcony and shared inside jokes. They laughed about Usain’s receding hairline, which Asafa believes is overdue for a matching shave. Usain, who is 36 years old, expressed that he was waiting for his beard to reach his desired length to rock a bald head.
While Usain and Asafa worked together throughout the years, they spent a lot of time partying, which was their preferred way of unwinding after competing. “After the meet, you just want to relax, have a likkle couple of hours to yourself, so you go out and have a good time, listen some good music, and just chill,” Usain stated.
Asafa, who twice held the world record for the 100 metres with speeds of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds between June 2005 and May 2008 until his countryman Usain Bolt broke it, said he was never envious of Usain because he understood how important he was to Track and Field.
However, they both faced hardships in the sport, which included the harsh treatment they received from fellow Jamaicans. “People don’t understand nothing about athletes’ injury, dem nuh understand bout athletes training, they don’t understand nothing,” Asafa, who retired on November 26, explained. Usain agreed, adding that “Jamaicans are very hard” on the athletes as he recounted the snide remarks that Jamaicans made when he suffered injuries.
Continuing, they spoke on the opportunities for changing countries. The two sprinters elaborated on the benefits of switching to another country and how hard it was to represent Jamaica, which did not take care of the athletes as much as the other countries did. They further advised Jamaicans to exercise patience and understanding towards the athletes, saying it is not an easy journey.
Additionally, Usain opened up about being booed in the National Stadium in 2006 when he was competing in the Gibson Relays. “I was booed in the National Stadium. Running down the straight, I was booed,” he said, which came as a surprise to Asafa. “A lot of people don’t know that, but I was booed in 06, can never forget.” He went on to say that Veronica Campbell Brown was also booed on a different occasion.
Watch the video of the two sprinters reflecting on their lives below:
