Usain Bolt on cricket, partying and being scared of ants

We all know about Usain Bolt’s liking for chicken nuggets, his passion for a good ol’ knees up and his dancing antics. But do you really know him? Well spikesmag.com can reveal some of the stuff you may not know or may not ever want to know about the Jamaican sprint king. Enjoy!

Was the dancing and the "bolt of lightning" celebration in the Beijing Olympics spontaneous?
UB: My friend said I should dance - it was just me being me – the only thing planned was the dancing. The arrow was just me being me but it was also kind of a dance. It was just me putting a little spin on it and made it my own…

How has life changed since Beijing and has it been difficult to cope with?
UB: For other people, definitely, but I just try and be myself. People stop me in the streets and stuff like that but mostly it has been okay… nothing I can’t handle. I just try and be me at all times.

You have a love of cricket, right?
UB: I watch cricket. My brother plays cricket and I watch the one-dayers, although the West Indies are not doing so well I still watch them. Hopefully, they’ll soon be on a winning streak again. If I wasn’t running I’d definitely be playing cricket as that is my first love. I was watching cricket since I was six.

Can you cook?
UB: No.

Can you cook an egg?
UB: Yes, I can make breakfast. I am an only child [he has a half sister and half brother] so I was spoiled by my mum when I was younger.

What are your favourite sports beyond athletics?
UB: I would say football and basketball - the Premier League in England and NBA in US.

What is your favourite Premiership team?
UB: Manchester United and my favourite player is Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard.

Do you still go to reggae parties?
UB: I still go. Not so much now, but I’m not going to change but I still go out and enjoy myself and I always will. They have said I can’t run fast if I party but I’ve shown them it’s not true.

Could you pick out just one memory of the Beijing Olympics?
UB: I remember Maurice Smith [Jamaican decathlete] my room-mate. We stayed up one night joking and laughing and that was my fondest memory. We went to a McDonalds at four in the morning. I’m not exactly sure when it was. I think it was after the 100m. [ED: yes, that was staying up until past 4am before he ran in the 200m final!]

Do you every quarrel with your coach?
UB: We don’t quarrel that much. We mess around sometimes to see who is the best, simple stuff like, "those shoes are brown"... "no, they’re black"... but that’s as far as it goes.

Asafa Powell said when he became a big star in Jamaica he got people bothering him for money, is it the same for you?
UB: Yes. If I’ve got something on me, I’ll just give it, but that’s just me.

Which of the athletes made an impression on you at the Beijing Olympics?
UB: I actually watch long distance, [Tirunesh] Dibaba. I watch her and I’m just astonished by how fast these people can sprint after running 15 laps.

A lot of people look up to you in Africa. Do you think one day you will run in Africa?
UB: To tell you the truth I’m scared of the African animals. I’ve heard there are small ants in Africa that can bite you and paralyse you. I’m scared of ants and snakes and all those things.

Is there anything you don’t like about being famous?
UB: Sometimes you can’t really do what you want to do, so that is the only downside for me.

What sort of music do you like?
UB: Reggae music, hip-hop and sometimes Latin music, I don’t know the singers but I like the songs.

Who would play a movie about you?
UB: I can never remember his name but he has been The Transporter and The Italian Job. [ED: You do know what Jason Statham looks like, right?]