Toronto/CMEDIA: Donovan Bailey, the champion Canadian sprinter, Olympic gold medallist, and recent Order of Canada recipient will reportedly publish his memoir in the summer of 2023 by Random House Canada.
Bailey, once known as “the world’s fastest man” for his gold medals at the World Championships and the Summer Olympics in the mid-1990s, including winning the 100-meter competition in a record-breaking time of 9.84 seconds at the 1996 Games is writing the book along with Sportsnet.ca senior writer David Singh.
Random House Canada publisher Sue Kuruvilla was reported to say that it is a pleasure to publish Donovan’s story in his own words and added that readers will be inspired by Donovan’s journey in ways applicable to their own lives.
During his rise in Canada’s track-and-field scene to his focus and confidence and was recognized as a legendary athlete and a leader in Canada’s Jamaican community.
In June 2022, Bailey was appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honor.
On July 27, 1996, Bailey set a world record in the 100-meter dash at the Atlanta Olympics.
But Bailey faced criticism and controversy while fighting stereotypes and speaking out against inequities.
After moving to Canada from Jamaica in 1981, Bailey competed in his first major international competition at the 1995 World Championships, where he won gold medals in the 100-meter event and the 4×100 relay.
At the 1996 Olympics, Bailey defeated American sprinter Michael Johnson in an unofficial 150-meter race securing his reputation for over a decade as the world’s fastest man.
“I’ve often been asked what the secret is to my success,” Bailey said in a news release from Penguin Random House Canada. “What might surprise my critics is how much of that success I credit to my family and coaches…share with others the lessons that allowed me to become a champion…sports, business, or any other aspect of life — so they too can win, without apology.”
A two-time member of the Canadian Hall of Fame, Bailey was inducted as an individual in 2004 and as a member of the 1996 relay team in 2008.
He was presented with the Lou Marsh Trophy, given annually to Canada’s best sportsperson, in 1996.
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