Usain Bolt In Mumbai: The Eight-Time Olympic Champion Talks About Cricket, Path To Success, Kevin Garnett, Glen Mills And More

Usain Bolt is undoubtedly the greatest athlete and sprinter of all time with his eight Olympic gold medals and the 100 metres world record but ask him his first love and it hits home closer.

The Jamaican sprint legend was a huge cricket fan in his younger days and wished to pursue the sport but destiny certainly had other plans and the world would know him differently.

At a 'Fireside Chat' at the Jamnabai Narsee International School in Juhu, Bolt regaled everyone present at the venue with his early days and his tryst with the 'Gentleman's Game'.

"For me, I was a huge cricket fan growing up. Watching all the talent of the cricketers, the way they worked and carried themselves, inspired me at a young age to work hard and to be the best that I could be," , the 11-time World Champion added.

Coming from the Caribbean and the islands that comprised the West Indies, Bolt's acquaintance with cricket is hardly surprising given the way the Windies dominated the cricketing world way back in the 1970s and 1980s up until the mid 1990s.

The likes of Sir Viv Richards, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Courtney Walsh and Chris Gayle are few among the superstars who come to mind when one thinks of the legacy of the West Indies across generations.

Among them Holding, Walsh, Gayle are from Bolt's Jamaica.

Winning eight Olympic gold medals is no mean feat and to do it over and over again is almost a superhuman effort.

Bolt delved into the mental pressure of clinching the yellow metal and responded with an interesting answer on whether winning or defending was harder.

"I think defending is harder. It's easier to win the first gold but when you're being chased, it gets tougher," he added.

Talking about the mantra to finding sporting greatness, Bolt stated there was only one simple formula: Hardwork.

"It takes a lot of hardwork and dedication. I loved track and field, so I worked very hard on it. The road was tough -- it's never easy to get to the top. But I pushed myself through injuries, doubts and setbacks to be one of the best in the world. It was all about dedication," he added.

Bolt also spoke about his immense admiration for former NBA star and American basketball legend Kevin Garnett as the one who inspired him.

"He was always motivating his team-mates and believed he could do anything. I wanted to be that kind of person -- strong, motivated and always working hard to be the best I could be."

The legend also credited his erstwhile trainer Glen Mills, who catapulted the Jamaican to Olympic greatness.