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Bolt's journey to stardom (Pt I)
published: Saturday | September 20, 2008
Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer
Mills
In October 2004 when Glen Mills took up the challenging job of coaching Usain Bolt, one of Jamaica's most outstanding junior athletes, he did it with supreme confidence with eyes set on the Beijing Olympics.
Bolt, who set the stage for great things at the 2002 CARIFTA Games when he won four gold medals and three months later topped that with gold at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, established three records - World Youth (20.13), World Junior (19.93), along with the World Boys' Under-15 mark (20.58).
Winning style
Bolt also won the World Youth Championships 200m title in 2003, the same year he ran the World Youth Championships' 200m in 20.13 in Barbados at the Pan Am Junior Championships.
Earlier in 2004 - April to be exact - when he was coached by Fitz Coleman, Bolt, at the age of 17, became the first junior to run under 20 seconds when he established the World Junior Record over the half-lap, 19.93 at the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda.
However, that same year, he failed to advance past the first round at the Olympic Games in Athens, running 21.05 in the heats.
It was then that he approached Mills, who was glad to work with the junior star.
"I was approached by Usain and he asked if I would take over his coaching, and after I agreed, I met with his management team and discussed our plans for the future," Mills reminisced.
According to Mills, Bolt was physically weak.
"Both dynamic and core strength were way below the required level and the results. He had problems with his hamstring and his back, structural problems with his back. This was something that would require special attention and significant time for him to move (forward).
"I figured that once we were able to tackle and solve the problems that contributed to his inability to perform at the highest level, we would be able to get the kind of performance that his talent gave an indication of at age 15. So we set about it in a very methodical and timely way."
Bad experience
Bolt, however, was allowed to compete at the World Champion-ships in 2005, a decision Mills said was because he showed "progress".
He had won the National Trials in 20.27 and CAC Senior Champion-ships in 20.03.
In the end, Mills said: "I think it was a bad experience for him in more ways than one. Having competed abroad in the kind of weather that he faced in Helsinki, it affected him mentally and physically.
"He had difficulties getting through the rounds. It was cold and at times, very wet and he just did not have the mental toughness and confidence to perform in such weather," added Mills, who coached Raymond Stewart, a schoolboy at the time, to fifth in the Olympic 100m final.
Bolt, in the World Championships final, finished eighth in 26.27 after suffering injuries running out of a tight lane one.
Mills said many, included the local media, had torn Bolt to pieces, which he said "was unfortunate".
"Because, here was a young man, just 19-plus in age, just had a bad experience in his first real international debut and was really torn to pieces."
Despite this, Mills was never distracted and a lot of time was spent developing Bolt's mental focus, though he had challenges.
"One of the things (challenges) was as a young teenager. He was caught in the dazzling light of entertainment and one had to counsel him and to get him to see what exactly it really entails in becoming a true professional and a sportsman who can really deliver on the big stage.
"I must say that his response was really good. He was eager to learn and to establish himself to get back on track," said Mills, who described Bolt as a good listener. "He did very well and in his second year under my coaching he begun to show tremendous strides ... he moved his PR (personal record) in 2006 to 19.88."
During this time, Mills said they deliberately set up Bolt to face the toughest competition possible.
"We never hid from the competition. We always tried to get into the meets where we had the top people, and if you look at his races in Europe, he was always running against Tyson Gay or Xavier Carter and Wallace Spearmon. This was done, because we felt that in developing himself on the way, the mental toughness is crucial."
Taking on top athletes
During this time, Mills, said he told Bolt that losing was not a disgrace, as it was easier to look back at the races to see what could be done better.
"This formula worked very well because he was never afraid of taking on the top people at the time and so it laid a solid foundation for him in terms of facing the competition."
After Bolt's disappointment at the Helsinki World Championships in 2005 and seeing him being beaten on the circuit, Mills said he received much flak.
"There were a lot of detractors who felt that Bolt wasn't performing at where they think he should be, and some technocrats even prescribed that he should change coach or go abroad," Mills recalled.
But the coach said he was always confident.
"I always maintain confidence in my ability to coach at the international level and I saw the improvements. I saw the development that was taking place and I knew that in time he would become the champion. All it required was patience and not to take any short cuts."
All this could not be done by one person, and Mills went to Dr Cyril Fletcher, sports medicine physician, Dr Aggrey Irons, psychiatrist, and Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association president, Howard Aris, seeking help.
Mills said Fletcher, who continues to be a tower of strength, guided Bolt's physical and biochemistry. He also taught them a lot about proper recovery and work intensity.
"Dr Fletcher has, over the years, continued to give me invaluable information from the medical side, which has been very instrumental in what we do in terms of work-out, recoveries and so on. His help and guidance is one of the major keys to us for him doing so well."
He added: "In terms of working on the psychological side, Dr Aggrey Irons has been guiding us, and I meet with him on a regular basis, and it has been very good for us."
Mills said JAAA boss Aris not only provides his coaching and physiotherapy expertise, but his administrative help is also an important ingredient.
Part Two in The Sunday Gleaner tells the story of when Bolt turned the corner and his build-up to Beijing.
email: anthonyfos@gmail.com
published: Saturday | September 20, 2008
Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer
Mills
In October 2004 when Glen Mills took up the challenging job of coaching Usain Bolt, one of Jamaica's most outstanding junior athletes, he did it with supreme confidence with eyes set on the Beijing Olympics.
Bolt, who set the stage for great things at the 2002 CARIFTA Games when he won four gold medals and three months later topped that with gold at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, established three records - World Youth (20.13), World Junior (19.93), along with the World Boys' Under-15 mark (20.58).
Winning style
Bolt also won the World Youth Championships 200m title in 2003, the same year he ran the World Youth Championships' 200m in 20.13 in Barbados at the Pan Am Junior Championships.
Earlier in 2004 - April to be exact - when he was coached by Fitz Coleman, Bolt, at the age of 17, became the first junior to run under 20 seconds when he established the World Junior Record over the half-lap, 19.93 at the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda.
However, that same year, he failed to advance past the first round at the Olympic Games in Athens, running 21.05 in the heats.
It was then that he approached Mills, who was glad to work with the junior star.
"I was approached by Usain and he asked if I would take over his coaching, and after I agreed, I met with his management team and discussed our plans for the future," Mills reminisced.
According to Mills, Bolt was physically weak.
"Both dynamic and core strength were way below the required level and the results. He had problems with his hamstring and his back, structural problems with his back. This was something that would require special attention and significant time for him to move (forward).
"I figured that once we were able to tackle and solve the problems that contributed to his inability to perform at the highest level, we would be able to get the kind of performance that his talent gave an indication of at age 15. So we set about it in a very methodical and timely way."
Bad experience
Bolt, however, was allowed to compete at the World Champion-ships in 2005, a decision Mills said was because he showed "progress".
He had won the National Trials in 20.27 and CAC Senior Champion-ships in 20.03.
In the end, Mills said: "I think it was a bad experience for him in more ways than one. Having competed abroad in the kind of weather that he faced in Helsinki, it affected him mentally and physically.
"He had difficulties getting through the rounds. It was cold and at times, very wet and he just did not have the mental toughness and confidence to perform in such weather," added Mills, who coached Raymond Stewart, a schoolboy at the time, to fifth in the Olympic 100m final.
Bolt, in the World Championships final, finished eighth in 26.27 after suffering injuries running out of a tight lane one.
Mills said many, included the local media, had torn Bolt to pieces, which he said "was unfortunate".
"Because, here was a young man, just 19-plus in age, just had a bad experience in his first real international debut and was really torn to pieces."
Despite this, Mills was never distracted and a lot of time was spent developing Bolt's mental focus, though he had challenges.
"One of the things (challenges) was as a young teenager. He was caught in the dazzling light of entertainment and one had to counsel him and to get him to see what exactly it really entails in becoming a true professional and a sportsman who can really deliver on the big stage.
"I must say that his response was really good. He was eager to learn and to establish himself to get back on track," said Mills, who described Bolt as a good listener. "He did very well and in his second year under my coaching he begun to show tremendous strides ... he moved his PR (personal record) in 2006 to 19.88."
During this time, Mills said they deliberately set up Bolt to face the toughest competition possible.
"We never hid from the competition. We always tried to get into the meets where we had the top people, and if you look at his races in Europe, he was always running against Tyson Gay or Xavier Carter and Wallace Spearmon. This was done, because we felt that in developing himself on the way, the mental toughness is crucial."
Taking on top athletes
During this time, Mills, said he told Bolt that losing was not a disgrace, as it was easier to look back at the races to see what could be done better.
"This formula worked very well because he was never afraid of taking on the top people at the time and so it laid a solid foundation for him in terms of facing the competition."
After Bolt's disappointment at the Helsinki World Championships in 2005 and seeing him being beaten on the circuit, Mills said he received much flak.
"There were a lot of detractors who felt that Bolt wasn't performing at where they think he should be, and some technocrats even prescribed that he should change coach or go abroad," Mills recalled.
But the coach said he was always confident.
"I always maintain confidence in my ability to coach at the international level and I saw the improvements. I saw the development that was taking place and I knew that in time he would become the champion. All it required was patience and not to take any short cuts."
All this could not be done by one person, and Mills went to Dr Cyril Fletcher, sports medicine physician, Dr Aggrey Irons, psychiatrist, and Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association president, Howard Aris, seeking help.
Mills said Fletcher, who continues to be a tower of strength, guided Bolt's physical and biochemistry. He also taught them a lot about proper recovery and work intensity.
"Dr Fletcher has, over the years, continued to give me invaluable information from the medical side, which has been very instrumental in what we do in terms of work-out, recoveries and so on. His help and guidance is one of the major keys to us for him doing so well."
He added: "In terms of working on the psychological side, Dr Aggrey Irons has been guiding us, and I meet with him on a regular basis, and it has been very good for us."
Mills said JAAA boss Aris not only provides his coaching and physiotherapy expertise, but his administrative help is also an important ingredient.
Part Two in The Sunday Gleaner tells the story of when Bolt turned the corner and his build-up to Beijing.
email: anthonyfos@gmail.com
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