Usain Bolt has waxed lyrical on his coach Glen Mills, revealing what makes him a standout tactician.
Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has shared what makes his former coach, Glen Mills, the greatest of all time.
Bolt, an 11-time world champion and eight-time Olympic gold medalist, credits Mills for playing a crucial role in his record-breaking career.
Bolt’s dominance in the 100m and 200m remains unmatched, with his astonishing 9.58-second and 19.19-second world records set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin still standing 15 years later.
The sprint icon attributes much of his success to Mills, who took him under his wing in 2005.
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Currently heading the Racers Track Club, Mills continues to shape the next generation of sprinters, including Oblique Seville, one of Jamaica’s brightest talents, and 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan.
Jamaica has long been home to elite track and field coaches, including Stephen Francis, who has mentored stars like Shericka Jackson, Kishane Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Asafa Powell.
Speaking on Meet The Mitchells Bolt highlighted the unique qualities that make Mills a legendary coach.
The Genius of Glen Mills
“I think it is just an art, just like I had that talent,” Bolt said. “Throughout the years, I saw how he broke down training plans, not just for me but for other athletes, to bring out the best in them. He would analyze tapes and tell me, ‘You cannot do it the same way as he does.’”
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Bolt emphasized Mills’ deep understanding of running mechanics and technical details, which set him apart as a coach.
“He made me understand the mechanics of running as well as the technical things. He is just great in my mind.”
The sprint icon also recalled an extraordinary moment that demonstrated Mills’ brilliance. “He made a 4x100m relay team win a 4x400m race. You know how hard that is? I was the only man to ever do that, and it is just genius.”
Beyond training, Bolt described Mills as a mentor and father figure. “A coach is like a second father. Anything going on in my life, I could go to him and talk—not just about track and field, but life in general.”
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Mills instilled valuable life lessons, one of which profoundly impacted Bolt’s mindset on competition.
“He is the one who made me understand that you have to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win. At first, I didn’t get it, but later I realized that most people who learn from their mistakes become masters. When you lose, a lot of people don’t look back and ask, ‘How can we be better?’”
Bolt likened the experience to parenting, saying, “As parents, we tell our children not to do things, but they don’t listen. If you put them in a bad situation, they will learn and pick it up better.”
Defending Mills’ legacy
Bolt recently addressed the fallout between Mills and some of his former athletes, including Yohan Blake, Kemar Bailey-Cole, and Warren Weir, who blamed Mills for their struggles and exited the Racers Track Club in 2018. On The Fix podcast, Bolt expressed his disappointment over their criticism.
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“That upset me deeply. I watched Blake, Warren, Bailey, and others come in injured, and the same coach helped me get to the top,” he said.
“Blake is the second-fastest man in the world, Warren won Olympic bronze and World Championship silver. Mills took Warren from hurdles due to knee issues and made him a star. Blake had back problems, and Mills turned him into a world-class sprinter.
“Then, when they started struggling after doing what they weren’t supposed to do, they blamed the coach.”
Bolt firmly defended Mills, calling him a “genius” and acknowledging his influence beyond just athletics.
“That upset me so much. I told them that nobody would be there if not for Coach. That man is a genius. I owe a lot of things to my coach—even in interviews, he coached me well. He always figured out ways to navigate situations. That’s how smart and intelligent my coach is.”
For Bolt, Glen Mills is more than just the coach who helped him become the fastest man in history—he is the GOAT, a mentor, and a second father who shaped not just his career, but his life.
