Usain Bolt recently did an interview with the Bild Newspaper of Germany.
The early reports I have read are focused on his report of trying weed as a youth exclusively.
I decided to spend a few minutes on the web to explore this story at it’s source. I took a segment of the extensive interview and did a machine translation. Let me share with you what 5 minutes of effort produced. You will have to read between the lines to fully appreciate the context, but I know I share this space with thoughtful folks.
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Usain Bolt: I want to become a legend.
Bild: Mister Bolt, explain us please: Why are 2.8 Mio Jamaikaner so fast and 80 Mio German so lame?
Usain Bolt : We work hard. Here all revolves around sport. We have extremely strong west African genes. Since the slavery, we try to win every day and to improve ourselves. We develop always further and give never up.
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Bild: The German sprinter Tobias Unger said after Olympia that they make fun of the entire world. It moved you therewith into the vicinity of performance drugs.
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Usain Bolt: Such statements do not bother me. The people can say, what they want. I know that I am clean. Only that count – not what others think. I so often am tested. In the Olympia year 30- or 40-times. I am clean!
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Bild: What do you know of Germany?
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Usain Bolt: I know only that the German beer of dear. I was once with Dr. Müller welfare in Munich and let me treat there. There I did not see that the people drank already beer to the breakfast – the small glasses, but rather the giant Dinger. That was incredible!
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Bild: In Olympia 1936, Jesse Owens got four times gold in Berlin. Do you step in the World Cup in the same stadium into its footprint?
Usain Bolt: I know Jesse Owens. But very honestly: The past does not especially interest me . I live in the present, I have own goals. I want to become a legend! I want to bring my sport on another plane and develop further for everyone, that will come after me.
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Bild: How one becomes the legend
Usain Bolt: Very simply: You must stand always at the tip and must bring Top achievements. Not only for a race – many years long. One highly must hold the level. Always and again and again.
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Bild: Who are the largest sports legends for you?
Usain Bolt: In any case a soccer player: Maradona and Pelé. Those are legends for me.
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Bild: Do you love something more than to win?
Bolt grins, distorts the eyes and answers not.
Bild: Thank you very much, we know on what you just think!
Now,
Take a look at how USA Today reported on this interview:
USA Today Report on Interview
But then the NY TIMES had this coverage
Click for NY TIMES Story
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I will be looking to get a better translation for the sensitive portion of this story. However, I want you to to follow the various reporting you will see on this story and use this as a case study on how reporters slice and dice and give emphasis to a view point they are trying to represent.
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