Surprisingly, Bolt relied on a diet of 100 chicken nuggets from McDonald’s each day during the Beijing 2008 Olympics, a period in which he won three gold medals—although the third was later rescinded.
On August 16, 2008, Bolt shattered the world record for the 100m, which he had set months earlier at 9.72 seconds.
After a slow start, Bolt accelerated and took the lead by the 50-meter mark, ultimately finishing at 9.69 seconds despite being criticized for celebrating prematurely. Who could blame him?
To the astonishment of many, Bolt’s shoelaces were untied during his record-setting run.
So why did Bolt stick to a menu of 100 McNuggets each day during the Beijing Games?
In his 2010 autobiography, The Fastest Man Alive, Bolt explained: “Honestly, I ate nothing else in all my time out in China except chicken nuggets.”
“They were the only food I could properly trust which wouldn’t affect my stomach. On arriving at the training camp I’d tried a local Chinese meal, which wasn’t like the ones we eat in the West, and my body didn’t react well,” he continued.
He further noted, “So, knowing I could rely on nuggets, I made up my mind that was all I would eat. And eat them I did, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, washed down with bottled water.”
In another autobiography, Faster than Lightning (2013), Bolt mentioned that he sampled local dishes when he returned for the 2015 World Championships.
“Man, I should have gotten a gold medal for all that chowing down,” he wrote.
“They really are providing a lot better food here than in 2008, so no chicken nuggets for me this year,” he added.
Four days after claiming his first gold in the 100m, Bolt competed in the 200m on August 20, 2008. He set another world record at 19.30 seconds, though this time he reserved his celebration until after crossing the finish line.
On August 22, 2008, Bolt rounded off his achievements with a gold medal and world record in the 4x100m relay, clocking 37.10 seconds alongside teammates Michael Frater, Asafa Powell, and Nesta Carter—though Carter later caused disappointment.
A re-test of Carter’s urine sample nine years later in 2017 revealed traces of a banned substance.