His feet are now worth millions but for one horrible, time-stopping moment back in 2005, Usain Bolt’s path to athletics immortality could have been very different.

Four years ago I covered the world championships for Reuters in Helsinki and was part of a group of journalists invited by sponsors to meet the then 18-year-old Bolt, an emerging but raw talent who had already had lofty expectations bestowed on him having become world 200 metres junior champion at 15.

At an informal gathering in a lounge bar outside the Olympic stadium in the Finnish capital, Bolt sat himself down on a two-seater sofa and waited as a cluster of reporters gathered around. Not wanting to be out of ear shot and seeing that no-one had taken the seat next to the Jamaican, I spotted my
opportunity.

With a reaction time that would have graced the start of any sprint final, I zoomed towards the sofa and announced my arrival by clumsily planting one heavy foot down on top of Bolt’s.

Bolt leapt to his feet in pain, hopped around for a few seconds, massaged and inspected his tender toes to make sure all five were still in working order and plonked himself back down.

Cue one very embarrassed and apologetic journalist.

Happily, for Bolt, there appeared to be no obvious injury. Happily, for me, he seemed to bear me no ill will. Well, not outwardly anyway.

I did wonder days later, after Bolt pulled up injured and finished last in the 200 metres final behind forgotten man Justin Gatlin, if I had contributed to his demise. Bolt, who had talked optimistically of his medal chances, was doing remarkably well in lane one, just half a stride behind Gatlin but 60 metres from home he put on the brakes.

Four years on Bolt has the world at his feet. On Sunday night I sat on my sofa at home and watched, like millions around the world, in awe as the lanky Jamaican smashed his own world record in Berlin.