My records are out of reach: Bolt

Dreams seen in infancy remain for eternity. So, when Usain Bolt told a rapt audience that it was his dream as a child to play cricket for Jamaica, everyone nodded in agreement. For the 28-year-old sprint king, there was no dearth of inspiration, coming as he was from a place which had produced legends like pacemen Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding. But while his heart said cricket, his father willed otherwise.

"My father is a huge cricket fan, but when I got to higher secondary, I had two options - cricket or athletics... my dad said because of the system in Jamaica, it would be better to take up athletics. He said, 'You just have to run fast in athletics while it's tougher to get into the national (cricket) team'. (So) blame it on my dad," he said.

With the West Indies cricket team lording over the world at that time, and talented players falling from trees, it was hard to get a breakthrough even for the most dedicated youngsters. In the end, Bolt heeded his dad's advice and today the six-time Olympic gold-medallist can proclaim to the world that both the world records - 100m and 200m - are "pretty much out of reach". "As an athlete, I have seen records come and go. They have always been broken, but if you want to be as great as me, you have to work very hard. That's why my records will stand the time," he said.