Last Sunday, Usain Bolt of Jamaica shredded the 100-meter dash world record with such gusto and bravado that one couldn’t help but smile. Usain clearly has that Caribbean spirit that we like to think of as laid back and joyfully rebellious. No one can forget his chest thump at last year’s Olympics with 20 meters left to go in the race. Only a Jamaican sprinter can turn such a cocky gesture into an act that delighted fans the world over. The fact that he set a world record in this race only added to the sheer spectacle.

Usain’s greatest quality is the subtle fact that he constantly reminds us that he his human. Just listen to his pre-world-record-setting routine:

“I work around 11 AM and decided to watch some TV and had some nuggets. Then I slept for a couple of hours more. Then I got some more nuggets and came to the track.”

Bolt is America’s perfect foil. American universities produce great sprinters like an efficient factory, and the result is machine-like sprinters who we have trouble connecting to. It’s hard to imagine Tyson Gay consuming anything besides Gatorade Focus and boiled chicken. Bolt may run fast, but he is no machine. He made English headlines by giving pointers to Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, crashing his M3 while driving barefoot, and donating $5,000 to China’s earthquake victims.
While America’s sprinters wear mirrored sunglasses, Bolt exchanges mid-race grins with his club teammates. While Americans look tense and on the verge of vomiting before a race, Bolt does little dances and his now-signature archer stance. America sprinters are happy to win. Bolt is happy to run. Jamaicans run sprints like Brazilians play soccer, with a playful grace that is a joy to watch.

I’m not trying to suggest that Bolt’s 9.58 world record is the product of his cultural approach to sprinting. Undoubtedly, his freakishly long legs, access to some of the world’s best coaches and an intense work ethic are more important than being born in Jamaica. Historically, America’s approach is just as effective at producing world records. But in a sport that is having trouble attracting viewers in its own post-steroid world, Bolt is exactly the type of ambassador it needs.