"No substitute for hard work"- Usain Bolt gets real as he reflects on his track journey after hitting the gym for rehabilitation

Former Jamaican track and field athlete Usain Bolt recently reflected on his track career months after facing an Achilles tendon injury. The Jamaican retired after the 2017 World Championships with a formidable track record consisting of 8 Olympic and 14 World Championship medals.

Despite his retirement from the track, Bolt has been quite busy in his off-track endeavors this year and also participated in UNICEF's charity football match in London. During this match, Bolt also ruptured his Achilles tendon and had to be carried off a stretcher.

The Jamaican was spotted in his rehab process during a recent gym session. Amidst this session, the 38-year-old shared the importance of hard work and dedication in a small pep talk. He also reminisced about his track and field days when he had to nourish frequent injuries in the video shared on his X handle.

"Hi people, I am here at gym rehabilitating my Achilles tendon and it brings me to the day when I used to get injured and when I used to do track and field. Listen, there's no substitution to be great or getting to live the way you want. There's no substitution for hard work. If you want to be great, if you want to be on top, gotta work hard, gotta be dedicated" Bolt said in the video.

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Usain Bolt emphasizes the important role played by his team during his track and field days

Usain Bolt competing in the Men's 100m event at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea (Image via: Getty Images)

Usain Bolt recently commented on the role played by his team and people around him in shaping his track and field career. This came just a month ago during Bolt's interview with the High Performance Podcast.

Bolt shared some kind words about his team and stated that these individuals have been on his side for the entirety of his track and field career. He also mentioned the importance of having a good team that can help rectify one's mistakes and step up during times of need. He said (21:15 onwards):

"These were the guys that were really in my corner throughout my whole career. They started in the struggle, and we kind of worked our way to the top. It’s always important to have a great team, people you can lean on when you make mistakes or when you need motivation."

During the podcast, Usain Bolt also shared that a team with the same vision and ideology can help uplift an athlete's performance. The Jamaican athlete's team consisted of several key members, such as Glenn Mills, his long-time coach, and Ricky Sims, his agent.