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Undisputed: A Champion's Life
A memoir of Olympic glory, the value of mentorship and the courage to champion your own excellence, from the long-reigning world's fastest man, Canadian sprinting legend Donovan Bailey.
From the lush fields of his boyhood in Jamaica, to the basketball courts of Oakville, where he came of age in one of Canada’s most thriving cultural mosaics, to his sprint toward double Olympic gold for Canada in Atlanta in 1996, Donovan Bailey got a long way on natural talent. But he also learned that in the bureaucratic world of Canadian sports, an athlete who didn't come up in the system needed to take charge of his fate if he was going to become the world’s best. As he ascended from outsider to dominant athlete, others didn’t always understand the rigour at work behind Bailey’s confident demeanour. He’d learned from watching Muhammad Ali that a champion needed to act like a champion. But media grew fixated on the sprinter’s immodesty, the likes of which they never saw from Canadian athletes, especially track athletes in the wake of the Ben Johnson doping scandal at Seoul in 1988. Bailey was having none of it, and when he called out Canada's subtle racism and contradicted the prevailing idea most Canadians had of their country, he left in his wake a media uproar and cracked wide open the nation’s moral complacency.
In addition to his unforgettable 100-metre and 4x100 relay gold-medal sprints in Atlanta, Bailey's track career was a litany of records and rare accomplishments, including his audacious 1997 race in Toronto's SkyDome against American 200-metre Olympic champion Michael Johnson to determine who was really the world’s fastest man. There was no disputing the result.
Bailey had been coached in success before he was seriously coached in athletics. Following the lead of his father, a machinist-turned-real estate investor, Bailey became a millionaire by the age of 21, an experience he continues to draw on as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Frank about his dominance on the track and unapologetic for expecting as much of those around him as he expects of himself, Undisputed is an athlete's story that refuses to settle for second best.
From the lush fields of his boyhood in Jamaica, to the basketball courts of Oakville, where he came of age in one of Canada’s most thriving cultural mosaics, to his sprint toward double Olympic gold for Canada in Atlanta in 1996, Donovan Bailey got a long way on natural talent. But he also learned that in the bureaucratic world of Canadian sports, an athlete who didn't come up in the system needed to take charge of his fate if he was going to become the world’s best. As he ascended from outsider to dominant athlete, others didn’t always understand the rigour at work behind Bailey’s confident demeanour. He’d learned from watching Muhammad Ali that a champion needed to act like a champion. But media grew fixated on the sprinter’s immodesty, the likes of which they never saw from Canadian athletes, especially track athletes in the wake of the Ben Johnson doping scandal at Seoul in 1988. Bailey was having none of it, and when he called out Canada's subtle racism and contradicted the prevailing idea most Canadians had of their country, he left in his wake a media uproar and cracked wide open the nation’s moral complacency.
In addition to his unforgettable 100-metre and 4x100 relay gold-medal sprints in Atlanta, Bailey's track career was a litany of records and rare accomplishments, including his audacious 1997 race in Toronto's SkyDome against American 200-metre Olympic champion Michael Johnson to determine who was really the world’s fastest man. There was no disputing the result.
Bailey had been coached in success before he was seriously coached in athletics. Following the lead of his father, a machinist-turned-real estate investor, Bailey became a millionaire by the age of 21, an experience he continues to draw on as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Frank about his dominance on the track and unapologetic for expecting as much of those around him as he expects of himself, Undisputed is an athlete's story that refuses to settle for second best.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2023
6 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 28, 2023
I have virtually no personal heroes.
So when one of the few people who truly changed you writes a book.
You listen.
Fantastic book from an athlete who inspired many more than just me.
Canadian Icon
Canadian Hero
Fastest Canadian ever.
So when one of the few people who truly changed you writes a book.
You listen.
Fantastic book from an athlete who inspired many more than just me.
Canadian Icon
Canadian Hero
Fastest Canadian ever.
August 6, 2024
3.75/5 ⭐
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Donovan Bailey himself. He takes us through his journey from Jamaica to Canada and his illustrious running career. If you need a motivational boost, this is a good pick. However, I found myself disagreeing with many of his opinions and behaviours.
Things I liked:
- Bailey's narration is clear, concise, and engaging, mirroring his direct and no-nonsense personality. No flowery language, just precise points that mirror his personality. It can boost your motivation.
- The honesty. He didn't try to paint his story as a rags-to-riches tale. Sports are expensive, and all athletes deserve respect for their effort and hard work. I admired that he gave credit to his support network.
Things I have mixed opinions on:
- His strong discontent with Athletics Canada. As a person of colour, I can understand where he's coming from. However, I noticed a recurring cycle where his discontent from one incident is fueled by a previous one. I'd suggest readers take this with a grain of salt.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Donovan Bailey himself. He takes us through his journey from Jamaica to Canada and his illustrious running career. If you need a motivational boost, this is a good pick. However, I found myself disagreeing with many of his opinions and behaviours.
Things I liked:
- Bailey's narration is clear, concise, and engaging, mirroring his direct and no-nonsense personality. No flowery language, just precise points that mirror his personality. It can boost your motivation.
- The honesty. He didn't try to paint his story as a rags-to-riches tale. Sports are expensive, and all athletes deserve respect for their effort and hard work. I admired that he gave credit to his support network.
Things I have mixed opinions on:
- His strong discontent with Athletics Canada. As a person of colour, I can understand where he's coming from. However, I noticed a recurring cycle where his discontent from one incident is fueled by a previous one. I'd suggest readers take this with a grain of salt.
December 26, 2023
Donovan Bailey unapologetically tells us that he is the undisputed best. This is not a story about an underdog overcoming challenge and obstacles to become the best; it's about someone with talent and money and a strong support system working hard and becoming the best. (If you want the underdog story, read Caster Semenya's memoir!)
Donovan is confident in a way that can easily rub people the wrong way, since Canadians want our representatives to be humble, overly grateful, etc.. He came across this way throughout his career and he comes across this way in the book. But he also comes across as nice, intelligent, focused, and hardworking.
Athletics Canada does not get any love here; if there's a villain to the story, it's them.
Donovan is confident in a way that can easily rub people the wrong way, since Canadians want our representatives to be humble, overly grateful, etc.. He came across this way throughout his career and he comes across this way in the book. But he also comes across as nice, intelligent, focused, and hardworking.
Athletics Canada does not get any love here; if there's a villain to the story, it's them.
February 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️s.
So much about my childhood hero I didn’t know! Such a special relationship with his parents & their ability to co parent in peace was great. I didn’t know how late he started with track & what a natural athlete he was in other sports as well.
I was very surprised to hear some of his challenges with Athletics Canada & Canada's Olympic committee. Wow, they basically black balled him. He constantly had to prove he belonged in that world, even after winning the title of the fastest man alive! Shame on them. Bailey was always the people of Canada’s hero, & I’m glad he felt all our love!
A good read, especially for fans of sports memoires, track and field & the man himself.
So much about my childhood hero I didn’t know! Such a special relationship with his parents & their ability to co parent in peace was great. I didn’t know how late he started with track & what a natural athlete he was in other sports as well.
I was very surprised to hear some of his challenges with Athletics Canada & Canada's Olympic committee. Wow, they basically black balled him. He constantly had to prove he belonged in that world, even after winning the title of the fastest man alive! Shame on them. Bailey was always the people of Canada’s hero, & I’m glad he felt all our love!
A good read, especially for fans of sports memoires, track and field & the man himself.
August 13, 2024
3.5 stars
July 24, 2024
Having watched the moment that Donovan Bailey earned the "World's Fastest Man" title, I was interested to read this book. Great on audio by the author himself.
Donovan is the first one to admit that his level of self confidence is through the roof and he expects nothing but absolute perfection in himself and the ventures that he becomes a part of. I'm glad he admits it right out of the gate, as otherwise it would be easy for someone to assume he's just being conceited. Though, according to him, Jamaicans naturally have a very high level of self-confidence based on how they are raised and what they've overcome since colonization.
Donovan had an amazing career in track, but it definitely was not made easy by the Canadian Olympic Committee or Athletics Canada. I was enraged on his behalf by how often these organizations would fight against him during his time as part of Team Canada and both during his ascension to and following his World Champion title. You'd think the Olympic organization for your country and Athletics CANADA would do anything they could to support and promote a CANADIAN athlete. Instead, our country is stupid let Ben Johnson's PED scandal from 1988 follow Donovan Bailey into 1996 and beyond simply because both athletes are black and original come from Jamaica. Nevermind the fact that Donovan never took PEDs and had over 50 urine samples to prove it, to the Olympic Committee and Athletics Canada he was never quite good enough. Donovan describes the racism he experiences in Canada as "Racism, with a smile". Whenever he did something they liked they were quick to name him "Canadian athlete, Donovan Bailey" but the minute he said or did something they weren't impressed by, the narrative quickly changed to "Jamaican-Canadian athlete, Donovan Bailey". As if being black and an immigrant somehow diminished his accomplishments. It's no wonder Donovan was as vocal of his talent and his confidence as he was, because he had to promote himself - without the support of the country he proudly adopted as his own.
Donovan's family dynamic was interesting to hear about. First, I didn't realize that he didn't come to Canada until he was 12. He is a self-confessed "Momma's boy" but his mother hated to travel and didn't come with him when he moved to Canada, so they mainly corresponded by phone and mail when he moved to Oakville, Ontario. His father had set up his 4 sons financially, but was a rather large authoritarian who expected to be obeyed rather than communicated with. He supported Donovan, but had very little involvement throughout his track career - to the point where he didn't even watch Donovan's performance in the 1996 Olympics! You'd think you'd be glued to the set if your son had reached that level, but that was not the case for George Bailey. I was glad to hear they developed a closer relationship once Donovan retired and had a daughter of his own, but it's also sad that it would take that long.
Both of Donovan's parents passed away after he retired. His mother developed Alzheimer's and his father developed renal cancer. These are two causes Donovan continues to champion to this day as well as education and youth sports through mentorship and philanthropy. Through his idol, Mohammed Ali he learned you have to act like a champion to be a champion and that's mindset he wants to see passed down and embraced by the next generation.
Donovan is the first one to admit that his level of self confidence is through the roof and he expects nothing but absolute perfection in himself and the ventures that he becomes a part of. I'm glad he admits it right out of the gate, as otherwise it would be easy for someone to assume he's just being conceited. Though, according to him, Jamaicans naturally have a very high level of self-confidence based on how they are raised and what they've overcome since colonization.
Donovan had an amazing career in track, but it definitely was not made easy by the Canadian Olympic Committee or Athletics Canada. I was enraged on his behalf by how often these organizations would fight against him during his time as part of Team Canada and both during his ascension to and following his World Champion title. You'd think the Olympic organization for your country and Athletics CANADA would do anything they could to support and promote a CANADIAN athlete. Instead, our country is stupid let Ben Johnson's PED scandal from 1988 follow Donovan Bailey into 1996 and beyond simply because both athletes are black and original come from Jamaica. Nevermind the fact that Donovan never took PEDs and had over 50 urine samples to prove it, to the Olympic Committee and Athletics Canada he was never quite good enough. Donovan describes the racism he experiences in Canada as "Racism, with a smile". Whenever he did something they liked they were quick to name him "Canadian athlete, Donovan Bailey" but the minute he said or did something they weren't impressed by, the narrative quickly changed to "Jamaican-Canadian athlete, Donovan Bailey". As if being black and an immigrant somehow diminished his accomplishments. It's no wonder Donovan was as vocal of his talent and his confidence as he was, because he had to promote himself - without the support of the country he proudly adopted as his own.
Donovan's family dynamic was interesting to hear about. First, I didn't realize that he didn't come to Canada until he was 12. He is a self-confessed "Momma's boy" but his mother hated to travel and didn't come with him when he moved to Canada, so they mainly corresponded by phone and mail when he moved to Oakville, Ontario. His father had set up his 4 sons financially, but was a rather large authoritarian who expected to be obeyed rather than communicated with. He supported Donovan, but had very little involvement throughout his track career - to the point where he didn't even watch Donovan's performance in the 1996 Olympics! You'd think you'd be glued to the set if your son had reached that level, but that was not the case for George Bailey. I was glad to hear they developed a closer relationship once Donovan retired and had a daughter of his own, but it's also sad that it would take that long.
Both of Donovan's parents passed away after he retired. His mother developed Alzheimer's and his father developed renal cancer. These are two causes Donovan continues to champion to this day as well as education and youth sports through mentorship and philanthropy. Through his idol, Mohammed Ali he learned you have to act like a champion to be a champion and that's mindset he wants to see passed down and embraced by the next generation.
August 20, 2024
Listening to Donovan Bailey’s life was really interesting. I always like to learn from athletes at the top of their game. Especially after the olympics. He has had longevity in the track field and convert his stardom off the field in multiple business ventures. Even though his success comes from the 90s , he’s still a trademark name in Canadian athletics for Olympics. He was once the fastest man on earth before Usain Bolt broke it. He’s often compared to Bruni Serin even though they are different individuals competing on a similar sport with distinct track records. I like that he called out Canada for the subtle racism it has on its Black athletes. He’s straight up honest when revealing his experience as an athlete in this country . I also liked he showed his Jamaican roots in providing him his work ethic and his family giving him his values. He’s not perfect and doesn’t pretend to be. I liked his straight up shooter approach in telling his version of his time as a high profile athlete in Canada. Great audio book!
December 3, 2024
Well done.
I was a kid so it’s cool to relive this from an adult perspective. I didn’t realize how “controversial” his career was. All the politicin’ going on. He’s the truth though. And he knows it. And he should. Fastest man on the planet. Fastest man of all time, at the time and for a time. Obviously no longer, but whatever man. He’s a stud. All the other business ventures are cool. He addresses some of his transgressions. I’m sure there are more. In fact… just had a brief google and not really. So that’s cool. Good for you Donovan.
As well all the racial stuff he addresses was pretty intense. He talks a lot about branding and I guess the platforms weren’t really there at the time but he definitely did his best and worked what was available to him. Though he says he ditched that agent who was set to get him 50 mill? How much of that did you end up getting?
Anyways. It was dope. He doesn’t do dope though. He’s very clear about that.
Good book.
I was a kid so it’s cool to relive this from an adult perspective. I didn’t realize how “controversial” his career was. All the politicin’ going on. He’s the truth though. And he knows it. And he should. Fastest man on the planet. Fastest man of all time, at the time and for a time. Obviously no longer, but whatever man. He’s a stud. All the other business ventures are cool. He addresses some of his transgressions. I’m sure there are more. In fact… just had a brief google and not really. So that’s cool. Good for you Donovan.
As well all the racial stuff he addresses was pretty intense. He talks a lot about branding and I guess the platforms weren’t really there at the time but he definitely did his best and worked what was available to him. Though he says he ditched that agent who was set to get him 50 mill? How much of that did you end up getting?
Anyways. It was dope. He doesn’t do dope though. He’s very clear about that.
Good book.
December 5, 2023
“Undisputed: A Champion's Life” is an intriguing exploration of the athletic prowess of sprinting legend Donovan Bailey, from his childhood in Jamaica to the basket courts of Oakville to his natural talent as a sprinter for the Canadian Olympic team winning gold in 1996. Through trials, setbacks, tackling subtle racism and learning a courageous demeanor from his hero, boxing champion Muhammed Ali, Donovan Bailey rose to fame with his prowess on the track. This is a first hand look at an athlete who never gave up; his bravery a shining example to those pursuing their dreams.
Well-written and intoxicating, this is a story of courage and will to succeed. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to other readers young and older alike.
Well-written and intoxicating, this is a story of courage and will to succeed. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to other readers young and older alike.
February 16, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. Donovan Bailey’s memoir details his values which were set at a young age on discipline, respect for self and others, integrity and excellence. His achievements are a result of not settling for mediocre or good enough, not just in his athletic performance, but also how he treats himself and how he allows others to treat him. Just excellent and inspiring.
June 17, 2024
Seeing two books featuring Canadian sprinters on the covers, the other titled "Ignite," piqued my curiosity. When I discovered that Mr. Bailey was not only the world's fastest man but also an entrepreneur, I decided to dive in. The book truly captivated me and even got me doing some sprints. However, I was disappointed that it didn't delve more deeply into his entrepreneurial ventures.
February 5, 2024
I enjoyed this! It was peppered with lots of great tidbits of wisdom. I've even quoted one of his mom's anecdots to a friend this past week! I felt like he was very honest in his storytelling and confident in his life choices - it was a refreshing perspective.
May 19, 2024
3.5/5.
- This is definitely an Athletics Canada hate letter lol.
- Donovan Bailey seems very upset with the level of his Order of Canada nomination.
- This isn’t your “I got it out the mud” sports memoir - so if that’s your thing, maybe pass this one.
- This is definitely an Athletics Canada hate letter lol.
- Donovan Bailey seems very upset with the level of his Order of Canada nomination.
- This isn’t your “I got it out the mud” sports memoir - so if that’s your thing, maybe pass this one.
October 23, 2024
Audibook read by the author. I think this was probably best listening to it in Bailey's voice. There were a lot of aspects that are interesting - the training itself, for one thing. There is lots to admire about Bailey.
November 22, 2023
This was a great read from and about a Canadian icon and legend.
January 6, 2024
4.5 stars
February 7, 2024
@savvybooksagram
February 13, 2024
I saw this book on the rapid reads shelf at the library and picked it up on a whim. So glad I did. Definitely recommend this book especially to people who follow the track and field scene.
March 2, 2024
Interesting to learn about the behind the scenes comings and going of Canada's sports body. Well written.
March 11, 2024
Surprised how much I enjoyed not being much of a track fan.
November 19, 2024
Pretty good. Not too long
April 6, 2025
His story is remarkable and truly any Olympian has a truly remarkable story. It’s good to hear the perspective of historic events from the people making the history.
March 29, 2024
Like most Canadians, I was captivated by Donovan Bailey at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. His performance inspired a nation. But as a kid, I didn’t understand the challenges he faced off the track. His book addresses that and highlights why Bailey was the undisputed champ
June 3, 2024
Listened to audiobook
January 24, 2024
This is a tale of two reviews.
The good: This is a well written book. He writes clearly and succinctly. There isn't a bunch of extra unnecessary boring stuff added. He tells you exactly how he feels, without worrying about who takes offence. You feel like you are seeing the authentic Donovan.
The bad: I love the Olympics, well, all sport really. I played at a high level and I make my living through sport. I came out of this book with less respect and admiration for Donovan than I went into it with. He's kind of an a$$hole. I wouldn't want to coach him or be his teammate. The last chapter was especially whiny and self absorbed. When I finished the book, I wished that I hadn't read it.
The good: This is a well written book. He writes clearly and succinctly. There isn't a bunch of extra unnecessary boring stuff added. He tells you exactly how he feels, without worrying about who takes offence. You feel like you are seeing the authentic Donovan.
The bad: I love the Olympics, well, all sport really. I played at a high level and I make my living through sport. I came out of this book with less respect and admiration for Donovan than I went into it with. He's kind of an a$$hole. I wouldn't want to coach him or be his teammate. The last chapter was especially whiny and self absorbed. When I finished the book, I wished that I hadn't read it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews