The Bolt Supremacy

By: Richard Moore

Narrated by: Richard Moore

Beijing 2008, the 100 metres final: Usain Bolt slows down, beats his chest, metres clear of his nearest rival, his face filled with the euphoria of a young man utterly in thrall to his extraordinary physical talent. It is one of the greatest sporting moments. It is just the beginning.

Of the 10 fastest 100-metres times in history, eight belong to Jamaicans. How is it that a small Caribbean island has come to almost totally dominate the men’s and women’s sprint events?

The Bolt Supremacy opens the doors to a community where sprinting permeates conversations and interactions; where the high school championships are watched by 35,000 screaming fans; where identity, success and status are forged on the track; and where making it is a pass to a world of adoration and lucrative contracts.

In such a society there can be the incentive for some to cheat. There are those who attribute Jamaican success to something beyond talent and hard work.

Award-winning writer Richard Moore doesn’t shy away from difficult questions as he travels the length of this beguiling country speaking to antidoping agencies, scientists and sceptics as well as to coaches, gurus, superstar athletes and the young guns desperate to become the next big thing.

Peeling back the layers, Moore finally reveals the secrets of Usain Bolt and the Jamaican sprint factory.

©2015 Richard Moore (P)2015 Random House Audiobooks

Bolt is the greatest

Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time and this book is a good look into his dominance

Wrong Title

I really wanted a book about Bolt. This book has very little about him, it is really about possible Jamaican drug doping. It was actually a pretty good book, but they should have gotten a reader for the book. Richard Moore is good, but not a pro reader.

Jamaica's Sprinters

The book did make for an interesting read. I was informed about things I previously was totally unaware of. good job.

Thorough, intriguing, and inspirational.

Reviews seemed a little mixed for this title, but I gave it a chance after watching Usain Bolt's documentary/reading on how such a tiny island is building an inventory of top grade talent in track and field. The author did a thorough job of investigating the common 'simple answers' you will hear as to why Jamaica is dominating its advisories - including genetics, the island diet, doping, and coaching. I found the book to include a great deal of information around each one, while not presenting a biased approach.

If you're a fan of track and field, or just someone who is curious as to how a group of low means islanders can beat opponents with unlimited resources, this book is a must.

Great text

Fantastic book and read by the author, who died unexpectedly a few years ago. A great listen if you love track and field