Donovan Bailey tells of early struggles in 'Undisputed', 1996 Olympic champion's autobiography

Undisputed

by Donovan Bailey 

NO STORY WOULD BE complete without adversity. In my sprinting career, my first bout with something of that nature occurred in 1991. I was humbled on the track for the first time in my life. Hell, I'll keep it 100 per cent real with you. It was the first time between the white lines that I was scared. 

I was representing Canada at the Pan American Games, which were being held in Havana, Cuba. This was my first dance on such a grand stage since I had been a kid at Champs. Prior to these Games, I had mostly sprinted in regional competitions that received little fanfare. I could go out on the track and do my thing without ever having to think about expectations or the crowd. When I arrived at the brand-new Estadio Panamericano in Havana, I immediately felt a different level of gravitas. The stadium seated over 30,000, and as my name was announced on the sound system ahead of the 100-metre final, I looked up into the sea of spectators and was shook. I had qualified in front of an empty stadium. But now, I was mesmerized by the sheer number of people there for the final and sunk into a dazed state until, suddenly, I heard three words that set me back to reality. 

"On your marks." 

It was as if I was in a trance. I didn't even hear "Get set." The gun went off. 

"Oh my God," I muttered to myself. 

This was actually happening. I glanced up and saw all the other sprinters ahead of me. They had left me in their dust, liter­ally. It seemed like I was miles behind them. At that point, my muscle memory kicked in, mixing with the adrenalin, and I began to take flight. However, 100 metres doesn't give you much space to make up for your mistakes. It was too late. I finished in eighth place with a time