[from the publisher] Beijing 2008: Usain
Bolt slows down as he approaches the finish line of the the 100-meter
finals. He beats his chest, well ahead 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 moments in
sports history, and it is just the beginning.Of the ten fastest
100-meter 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 anti-doping agencies,
scientists and skeptics 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.
