Keeping time: Usain Bolt on his winning philosophy and collaboration with Hublot

Note: This is an excerpt from Tempus’s new issue starring Hublot ambassador Usain Bolt. To access the full story, read along and grab a copy of the new issue available now.Seventeen years since Usain Bolt set the world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100m sprint, the world’s fastest man’s personal best remains unbeaten. During his outstanding track career, Usain earned eight Olympic gold medals at three consecutive Games in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, as well as 11 World Athletics Championship victories.

The Jamaican athlete captured the public’s imagination the world over, not just for his unbeatable skill on the track, but also thanks to the authentic joy and fun-loving nature he shared with fans and fellow sports stars – from his lightning bolt’ pose to fist-bumping volunteers for good luck before races. In 2012, the Associated Press said of his influence: “Almost single-handedly, Bolt has helped track transform itself from a dying sport to one with a singular, smiling, worldwide star.”

These days, after retiring from athletics in 2017, while Usain may no longer spend life in the fast lane, he instead uses his time to concentrate on the things that matter most to him – family, philanthropy and a range of ambassadorial roles that keep him travelling the world and making a demonstrable impact. The 39-year-old shares three children – daughter Olympia Lightning, six, and twin sons Thunder and Saint Leo, five – with his partner, Jamaican model and entrepreneur, Kasi Bennett, whom he calls his First Lady.His ambassadorial roles span from representing his home country as Jamaica’s Global Tourism Ambassador to roles with World Athletics, where he is an ambassador for the Ultimate Championships which takes place in Budapest in September this year.

His eponymous Usain Bolt Foundation, inspired by his youth growing up in rural Jamaica, works throughout the country on grassroots projects to support education, opportunities and cultural development for children – from providing school equipment and athletics programmes, to aiding with relief efforts after Hurricane Melissa hit the island in late October last year.

A creative talent, Usain has been an ambassador for watch brand Hublot since 2010, releasing his first official watch collaboration – the King Power Usain Bolt – two years later. His latest novelty, released at Watches and Wonders Geneva this year, is his most personal yet. The Big Bang Reloaded Usain Bolt is described by the brand as a “manifesto in motion”: a 200-piece limited-edition edition crafted in 44mm black ceramic and carbon and powered by the in-house HUB1280 Unico Manufacture flyback chronograph calibre. On the skeletonised dial, between 6 and 8 o’clock, numerals reading 6-5-8 can be flipped to read Usain’s world-record time of 9.58 seconds. Other personal touches include his trademark lightning bolt-shaped chronograph second hand, while on the caseback, authentic soil from the former sprinter’s childhood training ground in Jamaica is suspended between two sapphire crystals inside a lightning bolt. The polished 18K yellow gold bezel is inscribed with his personal mantra: “Anything is possible, don’t think limits”.

“Working on this watch with Hublot allowed me to rewind and replay my race journey,” he says. “To do it with a partner who’s been with me since 2010, even after I hung up my spikes, makes it more than a watch. It conveys meanings and beliefs such as trusting yourself, sprinting beyond limits, pushing every boundary. Time waits for no one, but you can beat it!” 

Here, Usain looks back on his athletic legacy, shares his love for Jamaica, and tells us why he is proud that his story of hard work and resilience is inspiring a new generation of track superstars.Usain, tell us about your limited-edition Big Bang Reloaded Usain Bolt – how involved were you in creating the timepiece?
I was very involved in the design of this watch. From the very beginning we explored different ideas and they gave me a lot of creative freedom. I am really happy and proud of the outcome. It is a beautiful watch with so many unique features that tell my story. There are many features that have special significance from the upside down 9-5-8 (my 100m world record time) numerals and the lightning bolt second hand, to my motto: “Anything is possible, don’t think limits”, engraved in gold on the bezel. [There is even] compressed soil from my childhood training track in Jamaica on the caseback. The gold and green colour represents Jamaica, and the camouflage strap option is a nod to the rural countryside where I grew up.

Can you share a memorable moment from your collaboration with Hublot? What did you enjoy about working with the team and your fellow sporting stars?
I have been working with Hublot for over 15 years. It is a great partnership. What attracted me to the brand was their passion, innovation and creativity. They have a slogan: ‘Hublot loves sport’ – and they really do. We have done so many great things together over the years. This is my fourth signature watch with Hublot – each one is a thing of beauty. We shared many events with other stars of sport, fashion, film and music. Meeting football legends Pelé in New York and Maradona in Switzerland stand out. We have attended World Cups, summer parties and worked on charity events together. Everything Hublot does is top level.How has your mantra, which is inscribed on the bezel of the watch, guided you throughout your career?
“Anything is possible, don’t think limits” is my motto and something I tell children and adults all around the world. I came from humble beginnings in rural Jamaica yet through hard work and dedication I became a sporting legend and the world’s fastest man. My story can inspire others to work hard and follow your dreams. My philosophies evolve as I travel the world and experience different cultures and people but, deep down, I credit my parents with instilling very strong values ever since I was young, which still apply every day of my life. My father always told me that if you want something you have to work hard for it. I saw how he hard he worked, yet always had time for people and tried to help wherever he could.

Your Big Bang references your record-breaking sprint time, with a really fun numeral design on the dial. Looking back at your athletics career, what does that legacy mean to you?
The 9.58 [on the dial] is in reference to my 100m world record, set in Berlin in 2009. I am proud of this achievement along with my other world records in the 200m and 4x100m, but what I am most proud of was the way I was able to dominate sprinting over three Olympic cycles – from Beijing 2008 to London 2012 and then Rio 2016. The Olympic and World Championship titles are what stand out and hopefully inspire other young athlete to chase their dreams.

You’ve been vocal in your support for the new generation of track athletes.What are the important lessons that your career offers to young athletes?
I showed the world what can be achieved with hard work and dedication. Everyone at the top level in elite sport has talent, but it is mentality that turns this talent into champions. I tried to entertain the public and bring attention to our sport by being my natural authentic self. A lot of the lessons you learn in sport can be applied to your work or your everyday life. Setting goals, working hard to achieve them, overcoming obstacles – these are all things that are common between sport and life.

Read the full interview in our new issue and check out more culture stories with Tempus