Book excerpt: For many years, sprinters were considered arrogant, uncommunicative, driven men, willing to do almost anything to win the Olympic Games men's 100 metre gold medal. Then came the ultra-relaxed, charming, playful Usain Bolt, who redefined the world of sprinting, taking it back to a bygone era. The 24 Olympic champions before Bolt covered a wide range of personalities, from those who embraced a celebrity, multimillion-dollar lifestyle to the lonely, suicidal introvert; from enduring legend to forgotten hero; from prison inmate to government minister; and from pharmaceutically enhanced cheat to innocent nineteenth-century college boy. All coveted the title "The fastest man on earth". Their amazing careers and colourful stories make for compelling reading.