usain bolt biography timeline

Jamaica's Usain Bolt is an Olympic legend who has been called "the fastest man alive" for smashing world records and winning multiple gold medals at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Games.

1986–present

Quick Facts

Childhood and early successes, professional track and field, olympic career, records and awards, 'triple-triple' and loss of gold medal, other races, injury and retirement, soccer career, personal life and daughter, quotes from usain bolt, who is usain bolt.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was dubbed "the fastest man alive" after winning three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and becoming the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100- and 200-meter races in record times. Bolt also won three Olympic gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, along the way notching an Olympic-record time of 9.63 seconds in the 100 meters, making him the first man in history to set three world records in Olympic competition. He made history again at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio with gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter races and 4x100-meter relay; the wins gave him a "triple-triple" — three golds over three consecutive Olympics — though he later was stripped of one of the relay golds because of a teammate's doping violation.

FULL NAME: Usain Bolt BORN: August 21, 1986 BIRTHPLACE: Trelawny, Jamaica CHILDREN: Daughter ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Leo

Bolt was born on August 21, 1986, in Jamaica. Both a standout cricket player and a sprinter early on, Bolt's natural speed was noticed by coaches at school, and he began to focus solely on sprinting under the tutelage of Pablo McNeil, a former Olympic sprint athlete. (Glen Mills would later serve as Bolt's coach and mentor.) As early as age 14, Bolt was wowing fans with his lightning speed, and he won his first high school championship medal in 2001, taking the silver in the 200-meter race.

At the age of 15, Bolt took his first shot at success on the world stage at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, where he won the 200-meter dash, making him the youngest world-junior gold medalist ever. Bolt's feats impressed the sports world, and he received the International Association of Athletics Foundation’s Rising Star Award that year, boosting the recognition of a young man soon to be known as "Lightning Bolt."

At the Berlin 2009 World Championships, Bolt set a world record time of 9.58 seconds for the 100m race, notching a top speed of 27.8 miles per hour (44.72 kilometers per hour) between meters 60 and 80, with an average speed of 23.5 mph.

Despite a nagging hamstring injury, Bolt was chosen for the Jamaican Olympic squad for the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was eliminated in the first round of the 200 meters, though, again hampered by injury.

Bolt reached the world Top 5 rankings in 2005 and 2006. Unfortunately, injuries continued to plague the 6'5" sprinter, preventing him from completing a full professional season.

In 2007, Bolt broke the national 200-meter record held for over 30 years by Donald Quarrie, and earned two silver medals at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. These medals boosted Bolt's desire to run, and he took a more serious stance toward his career.

At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, Bolt ran the 100-meter and 200-meter events. In the 100-meter final leading up to the Games, he broke the world record, winning in 9.69 seconds. Not only was the record set without a favorable wind, but he also visibly slowed down to celebrate before he finished (and his shoelace was untied), an act that aroused much controversy later on. He went on to win three gold medals and break three world records in Beijing.

At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, held in London, Bolt won his fourth Olympic gold medal in the men's 100-meter race, beating rival Yohan Blake, who won silver in the event. Bolt ran the race in 9.63 seconds, a new Olympic record. The win marked Bolt's second consecutive gold medal in the 100. He went on to compete in the men's 200, claiming his second consecutive gold medal in that race as well. He became the first man to win both the 100 and 200 in consecutive Olympic Games, as well as the first man to ever win back-to-back gold medals in double sprints. Bolt's accomplishments made him the first man in history to set three world records in a single Olympic Games competition.

Bolt returned to Olympic glory at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games when he won gold in the 100-meter race, making him the the first athlete to win three successive titles in the event. He finished the race in 9.81 seconds with American runner and rival Justin Gatlin, who took silver, 0.08 seconds behind him.

“This is why I came here, to the Olympics, to prove to the world that I’m the best — again,” he told reporters at a news conference. “It always feels good to go out on top, you know what I mean?”

He continued his Olympic winning streak, taking gold in the 200 meters in 19.78 seconds. "What else can I do to prove I am the greatest?" Bolt said in an interview with BBC Sport . ”I'm trying to be one of the greatest, to be among [Muhammad] Ali and Pelé . I have made the sport exciting, I have made people want to see the sport. I have put the sport on a different level."

The "fastest man alive" remained undefeated in what he said would be the last race of his Olympic career, the 4x100-meter relay, which he ran with teammates Blake, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade. Anchoring the race, Bolt led the Jamaican team to gold, crossing the finish line in 37.27 seconds. It was the third consecutive gold medal win for Bolt in Rio.

In an interview with CBS News , Bolt detailed his pride over his 2012 performance: "It's what I came here to do. I'm now a legend. I'm also the greatest athlete to live. I've got nothing left to prove."

Bolt is an 11-time world champion. He holds the world records in races for 100 meters, at 9.58 seconds, and 200 meters, at 19.19 seconds, both of which he set at the 2009 Berlin World Athletics Championships. Over the course of his career, Bolt has received numerous awards, including the IAAF World Athlete of the Year (twice), Track & Field Athlete of the Year and Laureus Sportsman of the Year.

Participating in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 summer Olympic Games, Bolt completed a "triple-triple," with a total of nine gold medals earned in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4x100-meter relay races. In doing so, Bolt joined just two other triple-triple runners: Paavo Nurmi of Finland (in 1920, 1924 and 1928) and Carl Lewis of the United States (in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996). However in January 2017, the International Olympic Committee stripped Bolt of one of these medals, for the 2008 4x100-meter relay, because his teammate Nesta Carter was found guilty of a doping violation.

Bolt took back the 100-meter world title on August 11, 2013, after having lost the title in 2011. Although Bolt didn't strike his signature "lightning bolt" pose after the race, his winning image still caused a stir, with lightning striking just as he crossed the finish line.

In 2015, Bolt faced some challenges: He came in second at the Nassau IAAF World Relays in May, but secured an individual win in the 200-meter event at the Ostrava Golden Spike event that same month. He also dominated the 200-meter race at the New York Addias Grand Prix that June. Trouble with his pelvic muscles forced him to withdraw from two races, though Bolt made a comeback that July with a 100-meter win at London's Anniversary Games.

In 2017, Bolt faced challenges on the track at the World Athletics Championships. He finished third in the men's 100 meters, taking home the bronze medal behind Christian Coleman, who won silver, and Gatlin, who took home the gold. It was the first time that Bolt had been beaten at the World Athletics Championships since 2007. His struggles didn't end there: In the 4x100-meter relay, which many believed would be Bolt's final race, he collapsed from a hamstring injury and had to cross the finish line with the help of his teammates.

In August 2017, following the World Athletics Championships, Bolt announced his retirement from track and field. “For me I don’t think one championship is going to change what I’ve done,” he said at a press conference. “I personally won’t be one of those persons to come back.”

Bolt had long talked about eventually making a career in soccer. In August 2017, following his retirement from track and field, he planned to join Manchester United for a charity game against Barcelona, but he had to miss the match due to his hamstring injury. In September, Bolt said he was already in talks with several pro soccer teams, including Manchester United. “We have a lot of offers from different teams, but I have to get over my injury first and then take it from there,” he told reporters.

In October, Bolt reaffirmed his commitment to playing soccer. "For me it's a personal goal. I don't care what people really think about it. I'm not going to lie to myself. I'm not going to be stupid," he told reporters at the U.S. Formula One Grand Prix. "If I go out there and feel I can do this then I will give it a try. It's a dream and another chapter of my life. If you have a dream that you always wanted to do, why not try and see where it will go."

Bolt began training with the Central Coast Mariners of the Australian A-League in summer 2018 and scored two goals in a preseason match in October, but left shortly afterward when he was unable to agree to contract terms with the club.

The sprinter published the memoir My Story: 9:58: The World’s Fastest Man in 2010, which was reissued two years later as The Fastest Man Alive: The True Story of Usain Bolt . He followed in 2013 with Faster Than Lightning: My Autobiography .

In August 2016, People magazine confirmed that Usain Bolt was dating Jamaican model Kasi Bennett. Bolt has been private about their relationship, but he told a journalist in January 2017 that they had been dating for almost three years. In May 2020, it was revealed that Bennett had given birth to a daughter.

• “It's what I came here to do. I'm now a legend. I'm also the greatest athlete to live. I've got nothing left to prove.”
• “When I was young, I didn't really think about anything other than sports.”
• “I was slightly worried about my start. I didn't want to false start again. So I think I sat in the blocks a little bit. It wasn't the best reaction in the world, but I executed and that was the key.”
• “In training, [Yohan Blake] always works hard and pushes me.”
• “The trials woke me up ... Yohan [Blake] gave me a wake-up call. He knocked on my door and said, 'Usain, this is the Olympic year, wake up.' After that, I refocused and got my head together.”
• “My coach said, 'Stop worrying about your start, the best of your race is at the end, that's where you rule.' So I stopped worrying about my start and I executed, so it worked.”
• “Some of you guys doubted me. I just had to show you I was the greatest.”
• “I just wanted to make Jamaica proud. I hope they were all standing up singing the national anthem.”
• “For everybody who was in the race tonight, the four other fastest guys in the world, it was a real honor for me.”
• “I was happy. When I went out in the first run, I felt, 'I can do this.'”
• “I'm a living legend.”
• “I'm just going out there all the time to do my thing and show the world I'm probably the best.”

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August 1986

Bolt was born on 21 August 1986 to parents Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt in Sherwood Content, a small town in Jamaica. Jennifer named her son Usain at the suggestion of her nephew-in-law, who suggested the name as he had a classmate of that name, while Bolt's middle name, St Leo, was given to him by his aunt. He has a brother, Sadiki, and a sister, Sherine. His parents ran the local grocery store in the rural area, and Bolt spent his time playing cricket and football in the street with his brother, later saying, "When I was young, I didn't really think about anything other than sports." As a child, Bolt attended Waldensia Primary, where he began showing his sprint potential when he ran in his parish's annual national primary school meet. By the age of twelve, Bolt had become the school's fastest runner over the 100 metres distance. Bolt also developed an affection for European football teams Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Usain St. Leo Bolt OJ CD OLY (/ˈjuːseɪn/; born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican retired sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay.

However, at the 2012 London Olympics, he won the 100 metres gold medal with a time of 9.63 seconds, improving upon his own Olympic record and duplicating his gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Blake was the silver medallist with a time of 9.75 seconds. Following the race, seventh-place finisher Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago declared "There's no doubt he's the greatest sprinter of all time", while USA Today referred to Bolt as a Jamaican "national hero", noting that his victory came just hours before Jamaica was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence from the United Kingdom. With his 2012 win, Bolt became the first man to successfully defend an Olympic sprint title since Carl Lewis in 1988.

Several days after Bolt broke the world records in 100 and 200 metres events, Mike Powell, the world record holder in long jump (8.95 metres set in 1991) argued that Bolt could become the first man to jump over 9 metres, the long jump event being "a perfect fit for his speed and height". At the end of the season, he was selected as the IAAF World Athlete of the Year for the second year running.

Upon his entry to William Knibb Memorial High School, Bolt continued to focus on other sports, but his cricket coach noticed Bolt's speed on the pitch and urged him to try track and field events. Pablo McNeil, a former Olympic sprint athlete, and Dwayne Jarrett coached Bolt, encouraging him to focus his energy on improving his athletic abilities. The school had a history of success in athletics with past students, including sprinter Michael Green. Bolt won his first annual high school championships medal in 2001; he took the silver medal in the 200 metres with a time of 22.04 seconds. McNeil soon became his primary coach, and the two enjoyed a positive partnership, although McNeil was occasionally frustrated by Bolt's lack of dedication to his training and his penchant for practical jokes.

The 2002 World Junior Championships were held in front of a home crowd in Kingston, Jamaica, and Bolt was given a chance to prove his credentials on a world stage. By the age of 15, he had grown to 1.96 metres (6 ft 5 in) tall, and he physically stood out among his peers. He won the 200 m in a time of 20.61 s, which was 0.03 s slower than his personal best of 20.58 s, which he set in the 1st round. Bolt's 200 m win made him the youngest world-junior gold medallist ever. The expectation from the home crowd had made him so nervous that he had put his shoes on the wrong feet, although he realized the mistake before the race began. However, it turned out to be a revelatory experience for Bolt, as he vowed never again to let himself be affected by pre-race nerves. As a member of the Jamaican sprint relay team, he also took two silver medals and set national junior records in the 4×100 metres and 4×400 metres relay, running times of 39.15 s and 3:04.06 minutes respectively.

Bolt competed in his final Jamaican High School Championships in 2003. He broke the 200 m and 400 m records with times of 20.25 s and 45.35 s, respectively. Bolt's runs were a significant improvement upon the previous records, beating the 200 m best by more than half a second and the 400 m record by almost a second. Bolt improved upon the 200 m time three months later, setting the former World youth best at the 2003 Pan American Junior Championships. The 400 m time remains No. 6 on the all-time youth list, surpassed only once since, by future Olympic champion Kirani James.

Under the guidance of new coach Fitz Coleman, Bolt turned professional in 2004, beginning with the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda. He became the first junior sprinter to run the 200 m in under twenty seconds, taking the world junior record outright with a time of 19.93 s. For the second time in the role, he was awarded the Austin Sealy Trophy for the most outstanding athlete of the 2004 CARIFTA Games. A hamstring injury in May ruined Bolt's chances of competing in the 2004 World Junior Championships, but he was still chosen for the Jamaican Olympic squad. Bolt headed to the 2004 Athens Olympics with confidence and a new record on his side. However, he was hampered by a leg injury and was eliminated in the first round of the 200 metres with a disappointing time of 21.05 s. American colleges offered Bolt track scholarships to train in the United States while continuing to represent Jamaica on the international stage, but the teenager from Trelawny refused them all, stating that he was content to stay in his homeland of Jamaica. Bolt instead chose the surroundings of the University of Technology, Jamaica, as his professional training ground, staying with the university's track and weight room that had served him well in his amateur years.

Misfortune awaited Bolt at the next major event, the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki. Bolt felt that both his work ethic and athleticism had much improved since the 2004 Olympics, and he saw the World Championships as a way to live up to expectations, stating, "I really want to make up for what happened in Athens. Hopefully, everything will fall into place". Bolt qualified with runs under 21 s, but he suffered an injury in the final, finishing in last place with a time of 26.27 s. Injuries were preventing him from completing a full professional athletics season, and the eighteen-year-old Bolt still had not proven his mettle in the major world-athletics competitions. However, his appearance made him the youngest ever person to appear in a 200 m world final. Bolt was involved in a car accident in November, and although he suffered only minor facial lacerations, his training schedule was further upset. His manager at the time, Norman Peart, made Bolt's training less intensive, and he had fully recuperated the following week. Bolt had continued to improve his performances, and he reached the world top-5 rankings in 2005 and 2006. Peart and Mills stated their intentions to push Bolt to do longer sprinting distances with the aim of making the 400 m event his primary event by 2007 or 2008. Bolt was less enthusiastic, and demanded that he feel comfortable in his sprinting. He suffered another hamstring injury in March 2006, forcing him to withdraw from the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and he did not return to track events until May. After his recovery, Bolt was given new training exercises to improve flexibility, and the plans to move him up to the 400 m event were put on hold.

Bolt claimed his first major world medal two months later at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany. He passed the finishing post with a time of 20.10 s, gaining a bronze medal in the process. The IAAF World Cup in Athens, Greece, yielded Bolt's first senior international silver medal. Wallace Spearmon from the United States won gold with a championship record time of 19.87 s, beating Bolt's respectable time of 19.96 s. Further 200 m honours on both the regional and international stages awaited Bolt in 2007. He yearned to run in the 100 metres but Mills was skeptical, believing that Bolt was better suited for middle distances. The coach cited the runner's difficulty in smoothly starting out of the blocks and poor habits such as looking back at opponents in sprints. Mills told Bolt that he could run the shorter distance if he broke the 200 m national record. In the Jamaican Championships, he ran 19.75 s in the 200 m, breaking the 36-year-old Jamaican record held by Don Quarrie by 0.11 s.

Bolt was a member of the silver medal relay team with Asafa Powell, Marvin Anderson, and Nesta Carter in the 4×100 metres relay. Jamaica set a national record of 37.89 s. Bolt did not win any gold medals at the major tournaments in 2007, but Mills felt that Bolt's technique was much improved, pinpointing improvements in Bolt's balance at the turns over 200 m and an increase in his stride frequency, giving him more driving power on the track.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Bolt won the 100 metres gold medal with a time of 9.81 seconds. With this win, Bolt became the first athlete to win the event three times at the Olympic Games. Bolt followed up his 100 m win with a gold medal in the 200 m, which also makes him the first athlete to win the 200 m three times at the Olympic Games. Bolt ran the anchor leg for the finals of the 4 × 100 m relay and secured his third consecutive and last Olympic gold medal in the event. With that win, Bolt obtained the "triple-triple", three sprinting gold medals in three consecutive Olympics, and finished his Olympic career with a 100% win record in finals. However, in January 2017, Bolt was stripped of the 4 × 100 relay gold from the Beijing Games in 2008 because his teammate Nesta Carter was found guilty of a doping violation.

Bolt improved upon his second 100 m world record of 9.69 with 9.58 seconds in 2009 – the biggest improvement since the start of electronic timing. He has twice broken the 200 metres world record, setting 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in 2009. He has helped Jamaica to three 4 × 100 metres relay world records, with the current record being 36.84 seconds set in 2012. Bolt's most successful event is the 200 m, with three Olympic and four World titles. The 2008 Olympics was his international debut over 100 m; he had earlier won numerous 200 m medals (including 2007 World Championship silver) and held the world under-20 and world under-18 records for the event until being surpassed by Erriyon Knighton in 2021.

Bolt completed a total of 53 wind-legal sub-10-second performances in the 100 m during his career, with his first coming on 3 May 2008 and his last on 5 August 2017 at the World Championships. His longest undefeated streak in the 200 m was in 17 finals, lasting from 12 June 2008 to 3 September 2011. He also had a win-streak covering 14 100 m finals from 16 August 2008 to 16 July 2010.

On 31 May 2008, Bolt set a new 100 m world record at the Reebok Grand Prix in the Icahn Stadium in New York City. He ran 9.72s with a tail wind of 1.7 m/s (6.1 km/h; 3.8 mph). This race was Bolt's fifth senior 100 m. Gay again finished second and said of Bolt: "It looked like his knees were going past my face." Commentators noted that Bolt appeared to have gained a psychological advantage over fellow Olympic contender Gay.

The silver medals from the 2007 Osaka World Championships boosted Bolt's desire to sprint, and he took a more serious, more mature stance towards his career. Bolt continued to develop in the 100 m, and he decided to compete in the event at the Jamaica Invitational in Kingston. On 3 May 2008, Bolt ran a time of 9.76 s, with a 1.8 m/s (6.5 km/h; 4.0 mph) tail wind, improving his personal best from 10.03 s. This was the second-fastest legal performance in the history of the event, second only to compatriot Asafa Powell's 9.74 s record set the previous year in Rieti, Italy. Rival Tyson Gay lauded the performance, especially praising Bolt's form and technique. Michael Johnson observed the race and said that he was shocked at how quickly Bolt had improved over the 100 m distance. The Jamaican surprised even himself with the time, but coach Glen Mills remained confident that there was more to come.

In June 2008, Bolt responded to claims that he was a lazy athlete, saying that the comments were unjustified, and he trained hard to achieve his potential. However, he surmised that such comments stemmed from his lack of enthusiasm for the 400 metres event; he chose not to make an effort to train for that particular distance. Turning his efforts to the 200 m, Bolt proved that he could excel in two events—first setting the world-leading time in Ostrava, then breaking the national record for the second time with a 19.67 s finish in Athens, Greece. Although Mills still preferred that Bolt focus on the longer distances, the acceptance of Bolt's demand to run in the 100 m worked for both sprinter and trainer. Bolt was more focused in practice, and a training schedule to boost his top speed and his stamina, in preparation for the Olympics, had improved both his 100 m and 200 m times.

Bolt also holds the 200 metres world teenage best results for the age categories 15 (20.58 s), 16 (20.13 s, former world youth record), 17 (19.93 s) and 18 (19.93 s, world junior record). He also holds the 150 metres world best set in 2009, during which he ran the last 100 metres in 8.70 seconds, the quickest timed 100 metres ever.

Bolt's personal best of 9.58 seconds in 2009 in the 100 metres is the fastest ever run. Bolt also holds the second fastest time of 9.63 seconds, the current Olympic record, and set two previous world records in the event. Bolt's personal best of 19.19 s in the 200 metres is the world record. This was recorded at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin against a headwind of −0.3 m/s (−1.1 km/h; −0.67 mph). This performance broke his previous world record in the event, his 19.30 s clocking in winning the 2008 Olympic 200 metres title.

Bolt's autobiography, My Story: 9.58: Being the World's Fastest Man, was released in 2010. Bolt had previously said that the book "...should be exciting, it's my life, and I'm a cool and exciting guy." His athletics agent is PACE Sports Management.

In 2010, Bolt also revealed his fondness of music, when he played a reggae DJ set to a crowd in Paris. He is also an avid fan of the Call of Duty video game series, saying, "I stay up late [playing the game online], I can't help it."

On his return to Jamaica, Bolt was honoured in a homecoming celebration and received an Order of Distinction in recognition of his achievements at the Olympics. Additionally, Bolt was selected as the IAAF Male Athlete of the year, won a Special Olympic Award for his performances, and was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. Bolt turned his attention to future events, suggesting that he could aim to break the 400 metres world record in 2010 as no major championships were scheduled that year.

September 2010

In September 2010, Bolt travelled to Australia where his sponsor Gatorade was holding an event called the "Gatorade Bolt" to find Australia's fastest footballer. The event was held at the Sydney International Athletic Centre and featured football players from rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football, and association football. Prior to the race Bolt gave the runners some private coaching and also participated in the 10th anniversary celebrations for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

An eleven-time World Champion, he won consecutive World Championship 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 metres relay gold medals from 2009 to 2015, with the exception of a 100 m false start in 2011. He is the most successful male athlete of the World Championships. Bolt is the first athlete to win four World Championship titles in the 200 m and is one of the most successful in the 100 m with three titles, being the first person to run sub-9.7s and sub-9.6s.

In 2012, Bolt collaborated with headphone maker Soul Electronics to design his own line of headphones. Bolt designed both an in-ear bud and over-ear model with the Jamaican color scheme and his signature "To Di World" pose.

January 2012

In January 2012, Bolt impersonated Richard Branson in an advertising campaign for Virgin Media. The campaign was directed by Seth Gordon and features the Virgin founder Branson to promote its broadband service. In March 2012, Bolt starred in an advert for Visa and the 2012 Summer Olympics. In July 2012, Bolt and RockLive launched Bolt!, an Apple iOS game based on his exploits. Bolt! quickly became the No. 1 app in Jamaica and climbed the UK iTunes charts to reach No. 2 on the list of Top Free Apps.

In 2013, Bolt played basketball in the NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game. He scored two points from a slam dunk but acknowledged his other basketball skills were lacking.

An injury to Bolt's hamstring in March 2014 caused him to miss nine weeks of training. Having recovered from surgery, Bolt competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Not in peak form Bolt said that he was attending the Games for the fans and to show his progress since the injury. Bolt and his teammates won the 4 × 100 metres relay in 37.58 seconds – a Commonwealth Games record. This was the foremost competition of the year for Bolt, given no Olympics or World Championships in 2014.

August 2014

In August 2014, Bolt set the indoor 100 m world record in Warsaw with a time of 9.98 seconds. This was his sole individual outing of the 2014 season. Soon afterwards he ended his season early in order to be fit for the 2015 season. In Bolt's absence, Justin Gatlin had dominated the sprints, holding the year's fastest times, including seven of the top ten 100 m runs that season.

Bolt is the highest paid athlete in the history of the sport. In 2016, Bolt earned about $33 million in one year putting him at No. 32 on Forbes list of The World's Highest-paid Athletes making him the only track and field athlete on the list.

November 2016

A documentary film based on the athletic life of Bolt to win three Olympic gold medals, titled I Am Bolt, was released on 28 November 2016 in United Kingdom. The film was directed by Benjamin Turner and Gabe Turner.

In an interview with Decca Aitkenhead of The Guardian in November 2016, Bolt said he wished to play as a professional footballer after retiring from track and field. He reiterated his desire to play for Manchester United if given a chance and added, "For me, if I could get to play for Manchester United, that would be like a dream come true. Yes, that would be epic."

As part of his sponsorship deal with Puma, the manufacturer sends sporting equipment to his alma mater, William Knibb Memorial High School, every year. At Bolt's insistence, advertisements featuring him are filmed in Jamaica, by a Jamaican production crew, in an attempt to boost local enterprise and gain exposure for the country. In 2017, Bolt had the third highest earning social media income for sponsors among sportspeople (behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar), and he was the only non-footballer in the top seven.

Bolt has been on three world-record-setting Jamaican relay teams. The first record, 37.10 seconds, was set in winning gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics, although the result was voided in 2017 when the team was disqualified. The second record came at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, a time of 37.04 seconds. The third world record was set at the 2012 Summer Olympics, a time of 36.84 seconds.

In 2017, the Jamaican team was stripped of the 2008 Olympics 4×100 metre title due to Nesta Carter's disqualification for doping offences. Bolt, who never failed a dope test, was quoted by the BBC saying that the prospect of having to return the gold was "heartbreaking". The banned substance in Carter's test was identified as methylhexanamine, a nasal decongestant sometimes used in dietary supplements.

January 2017

Two days later, Bolt ran as the third leg in the Jamaican 4 × 100 metres relay team, increasing his gold medal total to three. Along with teammates Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, and Asafa Powell, Bolt broke another world and Olympic record, their 37.10 s finish breaking the previous record by three-tenths of a second. Powell, who anchored the team to the finishing line, lamented the loss of his 100m record to Bolt but showed no animosity towards his Jamaican rival, stating that he was delighted to help him set his third world record. In January 2017 the Jamaican relay teammates were stripped of their gold medals when a blood sample taken from Carter after the race was retested and found positive for a banned substance. Following his victories, Bolt donated US$50,000 to the children of Sichuan province in China to help those harmed by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

February 2017

Bolt took a financial stake in a new Australia-based track and field meeting series – Nitro Athletics. He performed at the inaugural meet in February 2017 and led his team (Bolt All-Stars) to victory. The competition featured variations on traditional track and field events. He committed himself to three further editions.

December 2017

Following his 2017 season, Bolt had a statue of him unveiled in his honour at the National Stadium in Kingston on 3 December 2017. The statue shows him in his signature "lightning bolt" pose.

In 2018, after training with Norwegian side Strømsgodset, Bolt played for the club as a forward in a friendly match against the Norway national under-19 team. He wore the number "9.58" in allusion to his 100 m world record. Bolt wore the same number whilst captaining the World XI during Soccer Aid 2018 at Old Trafford.

Usain Bolt co-founded electric scooter company Bolt Mobility in 2018, created in his namesake. Bolt founded the micromobility company, which provides electric scooters and other yet-to-be released mobility devices, such as the company's upcoming Bolt Nano. Bolt appeared in Bolt Mobility's debut commercial, released through YouTube and his official Facebook account. Bolt appeared in a number of interviews for the company, alongside CEO Sarah Pishevar Haynes. Bolt made his first public appearance for the company in March 2019, during the company's New York City launch and in CNBC interviews on the NYSE. In May 2019, the company expanded its services to Europe, introducing the product first in Paris. In May 2019, Bolt spoke in Paris at the Viva Technology conference, where he introduced the company's future release of the Nano minicar. He also met with French president Emmanuel Macron while at the conference. While in France, Bolt participated in a CNN interview where he revealed his reasons for founding the company.

August 2018

On 21 August 2018, on his 32nd birthday, Bolt started training with Australian club Central Coast Mariners of the A-League. He made his friendly debut for the club as a substitute on 31 August 2018 against a Central Coast Select team, made up of players playing in the local area. On 12 October, he started in a friendly against amateur club Macarthur South West United and scored two goals, both in the second half, with his goal celebration featuring his signature "To Di World" pose.

October 2018

Bolt was offered a two-year contract from Maltese club Valletta, which he turned down on 18 October 2018. On 21 October 2018, Bolt was offered a contract by the Mariners. The Australian FA was helping the Mariners to fund it. Later that month, Perth Glory forward Andy Keogh was critical of Bolt's ability, stating his first touch is "like a trampoline." He added Bolt has "shown a bit of potential but it's a little bit of a kick in the teeth to the professionals that are in the league."

November 2018

Bolt left the Mariners in early November 2018 after 8 weeks with the club. In January 2019, Bolt decided not to pursue a career in football, saying his "sports life is over."

In July 2019, Bolt made his debut as a dancehall music producer with the release of the Olympe Rosé riddim that featured 5 tracks from Jamaican dancehall artistes: Dexta Daps "Big Moves", Munga Honorable "Weekend", Christopher Martin "Dweet", Ding Dong "Top A Di Top" and football player turned artist Ricardo "Bibi" Gardner "Mount A Gyal".

November 2019

In November 2019, he followed up with another compilation called Immortal Riddim that included tracks from Vybz Kartel, Masicka, Munga Honorable and Christopher Martin.

On 17 May 2020, Bolt's longtime girlfriend Kasi Bennett gave birth to their first child, daughter Olympia Lightning. Bolt and Bennett welcomed twin boys Thunder and Saint Leo in June 2021.

August 2020

On 24 August 2020, Bolt tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently went into self-isolation in his home. He said that he was asymptomatic. Bolt had himself tested on 22 August, the day after celebrating his 34th birthday with a party where guests did not wear face masks. Coincidentally, the guests at the party danced in an open field to Jamaican reggae singer Koffee's song "Lockdown".

In 2021, Bolt told the BBC that his love for video games, such as Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat, helped him during his Olympic career.

January 2021

In early January 2021, Bolt released a single titled "Living the Dream" with his childhood friend and manager Nugent 'NJ' Walker.

Bolt, a Green Bay Packers fan, stated in July 2021 he could have considered a career as a wide receiver in the National Football League had the rules on violent tackles related to concussions been as tightly regulated 'back in the day' as they were by that stage. If he had switched to gridiron football, his concern was that he would have been a high-priced target for very heavy hits which made him back out of his desire to try the sport. He also felt certain that even at 34 and being retired he would comfortably be the fastest player in the league.

In early July 2022, Bolt Mobility abruptly ceased operations, leaving bike-sharing programs up in the air, including Burlington, Vermont; Portland, Oregon; Richmond, California; and Richmond, Virginia.

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Usain Bolt has been, quite simply, the face of the last three Olympic Games. To win the event’s blue riband event, the 100m, just once, guarantees Olympic immortality. To do it three times at consecutive Games, and add the 200m and 4x100m relay titles to the mix, gives him a good case to be considered the greatest athlete of all time. Still only 33, he is a living legend. Add real charm and humour to the mix, and Bolt has been the superstar that the Games needed over the last decade and a bit.

Bolt was born on 21 August 1986 in Sherwood Content, Jamaica. He grew up as a sports-obsessed kid, excelling in football and cricket. At high school, his cricket coach encouraged him to try athletics seriously. It was a good decision, By the age of 16, in 2002, he was world junior champion.

By 2007, he was the fastest man in history, setting his first 100m world record, and a year later, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, he rose to international superstardom. In China, Bolt triumphed in the men’s 100m sprint, and then added the 200m and 4x100m title to secure a legendary triple. He broke the world record in all three events.

Further magic was to follow. At London 2012 he bagged the 100m again (beating his own Olympic record), added the 200m title, and then teamed up with the other Jamaican sprinters to take the 4x100m. A ‘double triple’ had been secured. That became the ‘triple triple’ at Rio 2016. Despite entering the Games not quite looking his best, Bolt once again secured all three titles – 100m, 200m and 4x100m – to make history once more.

Bolt had to return his 4x100m medal for Beijing 2008 after his teammate Nestor Carter was retroactively banned for a doping violation, but his personal record remains impeccable – and his sprinting record haul surely unbeatable.

Since his retirement in 2018, Bolt has remained extremely popular and high profile. He attempted to become a professional footballer – training with sides like Borussia Dortmund and Central Coast Mariners, as well as playing at Soccer Aid – and has got several business interests, including a new range of electric scooters.

Always a hit at personal appearances – he cropped up at the 2019 Super Bowl, where he equalled the fastest ever 40-yard dash – it seems like there will be a lot more to come from Bolt. The main challenge for the Olympic Games over the next decade? Finding another superstar of his stature.

I stopped worrying about the start. The end is what’s important.”

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Usain Bolt Biography

Usain was born on 21 August 1986 in Sherwood Content, a small town in Trelawny, Jamaica. As a youngster he was mostly interested in sports, spending time playing football, cricket and basketball. At one time he considered a career as a cricketer but, his natural talent for sprinting shone through, and so he was encouraged to take sprinting more seriously. At 15 years old, Usain already towered over his fellow competitors. Growing to a height of 6 foot 5 inches, Bolt showed a sprinter need not be short and powerful like previous sprinting greats. bo In 2002, he won Gold at the World Junior Championships in the 200 metres. At this stage in his career, Usain appeared to give the impression of being quite laid back. He didn’t lead an austere disciplined life but enjoyed dancing and the night-life of Kingston, Jamaica. However, he was still training hard and won Gold at the World Youth Championship in the next year at 2003.

In 2004, Bolt turned professional, under the guidance of new coach Fitz Coleman. He began his career with the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda. He became the first junior sprinter to break 20 seconds for the 200 metres. By 2005, Usain had a new coach Glen Mills who encouraged Usain to take a more professional approach and not just rely on his natural talent. Over the next few years, injury setbacks curtailed his career, but, he was still able to climb the rankings.

His big breakthrough came in the 2007 World Championships where he gained silver in the 200m and 4*100 metre relay. Bolt established a new 100m world record on 31 May 2008. Pushed on by a tailwind of 1.7 m/s, Bolt ran 9.72 s at the Reebok Grand Prix held at the Icahn Stadium in New York City, breaking Powell’s record.

2008 Olympics

2012 Olympics

Bolt won three gold medals, despite being beaten by his training partner, Yohan Blake during pre-Olympic events at the Jamaican national championships. Bolt won the 100m and 200m and was part of the team that set a new world record in the men’s 100m relay.

2013 World Championships

At the 2013 World Championships, Bolt again won a unique triple of gold at 100m, 200m and 100m relay.

Usain Bolt in 2014

Bolt’s 2014 season was marred by injury which reduced his racing programme. Bolt has stated that his body has become more prone to injury as his athletic career progresses. In the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Bolt chose not to run in the individual 100m, but he did compete in the 100m relay. Bolt anchored the team to a gold medal and proved to be the star attraction of the games.

2016 Olympics

Bolt’s run up to the 2016 Olympics was not ideal with frequent injury problems curtailing his racing and training. However, he was determined to finish with a flurry and announced he would retire shortly after the 2016 Games.

Bolt was the undoubted superstar of the Games, and despite poor attendances in Rio, Bolt always managed to attract a full crowd. Bolt again managed to win gold in all three events – the 100m, 200m and 100m relay. It was a perfect bag of nine Olympic golds – a feat never before achieved.

Bolt has announced that he will retire from athletics after the 2016 Olympics.

Usain Bolt and drugs

Usain Bolt has shown tremendous talent ever since he first started running. His timings are consistent with an athlete of tremendous talent. As Bolt himself says:

“I was the youngest person to win the world juniors at 15. I ran the world junior [200] record 19.93 at [17] … I have broken every record there is to break, in every event I have ever done. “For me, I have proven myself since I was 15. … I have shown everything throughout the years since I was always going to be great.”

Usain Bolt is regularly tested by the IAAF international testing pool and has never tested positive. However, inevitably given the history of the sport, questions have been raised about the issue of drug use. The biggest cause for concern has been from the perceived inadequacies of the Jamaican Athletic Federation. In 2013, it emerged that they had failed to undertake proper out of competition testing in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics. This failure to implement proper drug testing was compounded by six Jamaican athletes – including the former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown, testing positive for banned substances. WADA announced an extraordinary audit of the Jamaican testing programme, and have even threatened to ban Jamaican athletes from international competition. ( link ) Bolt has frequently stated that he is clean

“I was made to inspire people and to run, and I was given the gift and that’s what I do,” the six-time Olympic champion said. “I am confident in myself and my team, the people I work with. And I know I am clean. “So I’m just going to continue running, using my talent and just trying to improve the sport.”

In Jan 2017, it was announced that Bolt’s teammate,  Nesta Carter, from the 2008 Beijing Olympics had retroactively tested positive for a stimulant methylhexaneamine , and therefore the whole team were stripped of their gold medal.

Bolt retired after the 2017 World Championships in London. In his last major 100m final, Bolt finished in 3rd place – slightly off his usual blistering pace, after an injury-hit year. In his last ever race, he was anchor leg in the 4x100m final. After receiving the baton he pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury and hobbled over the line.

Since retirement, he has been involved in setting up Jamaican food outlets in the UK. So far, he has insisted he has no plans to return to the track.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “ Biography of Usain Bolt ”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net . Last updated 20th January 2018.

Usain Bolt World Record Video

Personal Bests

• 100m:  9.58 s (WR, Berlin 2009)
• 150m: 14.35 s (WB, Manchester 2009)
• 200m: 19.19 s (WR, Berlin 2009)
• 400m: 45.28 s (Kingston 2007)

Olympic Results

2008 Beijing

• Gold – 100 m
• Gold – 200 m
• Gold – 4×100 m relay

2012 London

World Championships

• 2017 Bronze – 100m
• 2015 Gold – 100m
• 2015 Gold – 200m
• 2015 Gold – 4x100m relay
• 2013 Gold – 100 m
• 2013 Gold – 200 m
• 2011 Gold – Daegu 4×100 m relay
• 2011 Gold – Daegu 200 m
• 2009 Gold – Berlin 100 m
• 2009 Gold – Berlin 200 m
• 2009 Gold – Berlin 4×100 m relay
• 2007 Silver – Osaka 200 m
• 2007 Silver – Osaka 4×100 m relay

Faster than Lightning: Usain Bolt

Faster than Lightning: Usain Bolt at Amazon

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Usain Bolt: The secrets of the man who changed sport forever

Updated 28/05/2020 at 10:19 GMT

Dan Quarrell and Ben Snowball explore how Usain Bolt changed the face of athletics across his unparalleled career.

Usain Bolt - image by Allegra Lockstadt

Image credit: Eurosport

Bolt tips Team GB star Hughes for 100m glory in Paris - 'If he executes right'

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1. 'The Day I Beat Bolt'

Poland's Marcin Jedrusinski wins heat four of the men's 200m at the 2004 Athens Olympics

Image credit: Getty Images

When I say I’ve beaten Bolt, the response is always the same: 'No way! You’re kidding!' I have to show the videos, because nobody believes me…

2. The Saviour Of Sprinting

Usain Bolt's famous pose - Allegra Lockstadt

3. The Swagger That Stunned Athletics

Usain Bolt of Jamaica poses by the clock displaying his winning time

It inspires me to perform better

4. The Ultimate Facade: Inside The Mind Of A Ruthless Winning Machine

Usain Bolt and the stages of sprinting - Allegra Lockstadt

The most important thing is always to get the win

5. The Mentality of Certain Defeat

Usain Bolt of Jamaica (R) crosses the line first ahead of Kim Collins

I don't really feel pressure

6. The Legacy Of A Legend

Usain Bolt with his famous smile - Allegra Lockstadt

Jamaica's Usain Bolt wins the 100 metres final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 11, 2013

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Usain Bolt: the fastest man who has ever lived

The evolution of the Jamaican athlete, who will make his farewell at the 2017 world championships in London – but does it pay to run fast?

Wed 2 Aug 2017 13.00 BST Last modified on Wed 21 Feb 2018 15.04 GMT

Josh Holder and Niko Kommenda

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“There you go,” Usain Bolt said moments after the world watched him go supersonic for a final time in the Olympics at Rio. “ I am the greatest .”

Bolt had just completed the historic feat of the triple treble, winning the Olympic 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay races for the third consecutive time. No other sprinter had secured three consecutive Olympic golds in even one of those disciplines – although the 30-year-old has since been stripped of the relay honour from the 2008 Games because of a retrospective failed drug test by his Jamaica team-mate Nesta Carter .

The record of the world’s fastest man

Finishing the 100m in under 10 seconds is an exceptional physical and psychological achievement that only 124 men have accomplished. For historical context, the first 100m Olympic gold medal winner finished the sprint in 12 seconds.

In total Bolt has broken the 10-second barrier 49 times during his career, earning him six gold medals in world championships and Olympics.

Bolt holds nine out of the 30 fastest 100m times and is the only athlete on that leaderboard to have never failed a drug test.

It is not only his 100m feats that set him apart, however. In a world of ever-improving performances and otherwise short-lived triumphs, “Lightning” Bolt has also set and continually defended the world record in the 200m, a discipline he has excelled in since his youth.

As the fastest and final runner in the Jamaica relay team, Bolt has helped to propel them to the top of the leaderboard, earning his country six more gold medals alongside his solo races.

The impressive number of Bolt’s victories means his dominance remains unquestioned.

In fact, the only element of Bolt’s race that is consistently weak is his reaction time. When he set the 100m world record in 2009 , Bolt was the third slowest out of the blocks.

In his record-breaking run, Bolt was beaten out of the blocks by five competitors

Reaction times in the 100m finals at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin

Reaction times below one tenth of a second are considered humanly impossible and thus count as false starts

Bolt would not have been too worried – by the end of the race he led by 0.13 seconds, about three times as much as he could have shaved off his reaction time without false starting.

Does it pay to run fast?

Even as the fastest man in the world, Bolt’s pay is considerably lower than other top athletes. Forbes may rank Bolt as 23rd on the 2016-17 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes but his championship winnings accounted for only 6% of his total pay, with brand endorsements from companies such as Puma and Gatorade making up the rest of his earnings.

With the prize money for solo sports at London 2017 at just $60,000, it is not surprising that Bolt is the only track athlete in Forbes’ list of highest-paid sport stars. That pales in comparison to the £2.2m Roger Federer won at Wimbledon this year or the $2.16m the golfer Brooks Koepka took home from the US Open in June .

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Usain Bolt Cements His Place In History, Winning 200 Meter Gold

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Usain Bolt of Jamaica crosses the finish line ahead of Yohan Blake of Jamaica to win gold during the Men's 200m Final. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images hide caption

Usain Bolt of Jamaica crosses the finish line ahead of Yohan Blake of Jamaica to win gold during the Men's 200m Final.

Usain Bolt cemented his place as one of the greatest sprinters in history, when he won the 200 meter final today.

Bolt was challenged by his Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake, who closed in with less than 100 meters to go. Bolt kicked on his burners and ended up taking back the lead and beating Blake 19.32 to 19.44 seconds.

The big deal here is that this makes Bolt the first Olympian to win both the 100 meter and 200 meter races two Olympics in a row.

Warren Weir, another Jamaican, took third.

The AP adds:

"The 25-year-old Bolt won the 100 on Sunday and now has five Olympic golds a number he celebrated by hitting the ground and doing five push-ups a few meters past the finish line. "Bolt, who has long considered the 200 his favorite event, will try to make it 6-for-6 at the Olympics in the 4x100 relay, which starts Friday. "The last country to sweep the 200 was the United States in 2004."

NPR's Tom Goldman reminds our Newscast unit that Bolt did not break the 19.19 world record, which he holds. Still, said Tom, this was a "thrilling" race.

B efore almost every big race Usain Bolt ran, the crowd hailed the lithe Jamaican as he bounced around the track with a fervor usually reserved for royalty and rock stars. Then, quicker than one of his flashes to the finish, fans shushed before the starting gun, the silence building in electric anticipation of another gold medal, another world record. With his eight Olympic gold medals, 11 world titles and unfathomable record times–9.58 sec. in the 100 m, 19.19 sec. in the 200 m–Bolt singularly turned his doping-tainted sport into a feel-good global spectacle.

In his last solo race before his retirement, the 100-m final on Aug. 5 at the 2017 track-and-field world championships in London, Bolt started too slow and finished third. The turn was unexpected for an athlete who tended to write storybook endings. But afterward the winner, American Justin Gatlin, bowed to his longtime rival–a recognition that no matter the result of this last race, Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time. His departure leaves a void that will be nearly impossible to fill.

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Awards & Achievements

• Three gold medals , each in 100m , 200m sprint and 4x100m relay race at the World Championships that took place in Berlin in 2009
• Bagged a gold medal by finishing first in 200m race at the World Youth Championship , convened in Sherbrooke in 2003
• Honoured as the " Commander of the Order of Distinction " in 2008
• The youngest person to be appointed as the “ Member of Order of Jamaica " at the age of 23 in 2009
• Twice named as the " Track & Field Athlete of the Year ": in 2008 and 2009
• Gold medals in 100m  and  200m sprint at the Beijing Olympics , London Olympics and Rio Olympics , held in 2008, 2012 and 2016, respectively
• Honoured as the " Jamaica Sportsman of the Year " five times: in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
• Two gold medals each in 200m sprint and 4x100m relay race at the World Championships , convened in Daegu in 2011
• Three gold medals each in 100m , 200m sprint and 4x100m relay race at the World Championships , held in Moscow in 2013
• Three gold medals each in 100m , 200m sprint and 4x100m relay race at the World Championships held in Beijing in 2015
• Entitled as the " IAAF World Athlete of the Year " six times: in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016
• Thrice honoured as " Laureus World Sportsman of the Year" :   in 2009, 2010, and 2013

For me, I'm focused on what I want to do. I know what I need to do to be a champion, so I'm working on it.

Eight medals in three Olympic Games , eleven World Championship  titles, World Junior Champion  title in 200m sprint and a lot more; this Jamaican sprinter has proved that it is the sheer determination that works above all. At present, Usain Bolt is regarded as the fastest man alive on earth. With his supersonic speed, Usain has earned what he dreamed of as a young lad and today is followed by many to achieve great heights.

Usain St Leo Bolt was born in a small town in Trelawney , Jamaica ; in a middle-class family of a grocery store owner on 21st August 1986 . The ordinary child with exceptional speed used to play football and cricket along with his siblings and was much ignorant about his calibre to run faster than others. A former Olympian, Pablo McNeil noticed his potential and coached him for better performance.

In 2001 , when Bolt was only 15, had a successful face-off with the track at the CARIFTA Games where he set records in 200m and 400m events, clocking 21.12 s and 47.33 s , respectively. He made his Olympic debut in 2004 in Athens but met a fatal hamstring injury and failed to make his presence count, although he reached the top 5 world ranking. Bolt took it in a positive manner and went on to train himself harder to achieve his dreams.

After four years, he returned to the track at the Beijing Olympics and bagged gold medals, finishing first in 100m and  200m races. He was marked as the only athlete to earn gold medals in two sprint races of an Olympic event. With a bodacious attitude and firm belief to win, Bolt clinched a total of 8 gold medals in three consecutive Olympic Games and eleven World Championships within a span of seven years in between 2008-2015 , in spite of the physical injuries that often tend to oppose his participation. Being a man of strong will, Bolt always contradicts the prediction of his critics and leaves notable performances. Setting a world record of 9.58s in 100m sprint and 19.19s in 200m race, Bolt has registered his name in the history.

Photo Credits: wikimedia.org

Usain has earned the title of " Lightning Bolt " for his swift pace. The man with alacrity has given equal credit to his sport for what he earned through his go-getting performances on track, raising the sport to all new heights. His successful sports career better depicts his qualities, portraying an idealistic approach to chase victory just as he chases with his unbeatable pace.

I know what I can do so it doesn't bother me what other people think or their opinion on the situation.

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Usain Bolt Biography

Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter in the history of mankind, has achieved unparalleled success in the world of track and field. With nine gold medals in Olympic events, including the remarkable ‘triple-triple’, Bolt’s dominance is unmatched. From his early days as a laid-back athlete to his transformation into a world-class runner, Bolt’s journey is one of determination and resilience. Despite facing setbacks, Bolt made a triumphant comeback and solidified his status as the greatest sprinter in modern Olympic history.

Quick Facts

• Girlfriend: Kasi Bennett
• Also Known As: Usain St. Leo Bolt
• Age: 37 Years, 37 Year Old Males
• Father: Wellesley Bolt
• Mother: Jennifer Bolt
• Siblings: Sadiki Bolt, Sherine Bolt
• Born Country: Jamaica
• Jamaican Men
• Height: 6’5″ (196 cm), 6’5″ Males
• Humanitarian Work: Helped victims of the ‘Siachen’ earthquake
• Awards: Olympics Games – 9 Gold Medals

Childhood & Early Life

Usain St Leo Bolt was born on August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, Jamaica, to Jennifer and Wellesley Bolt. He grew up in a family of three children. His parents ran a shop selling groceries to make ends meet. Bolt attended Waldensia Primary, where he showed his talent as a sprinter by winning many 10-meter running contests.

Later, Bolt moved to William Knibb Memorial High School, where he initially played cricket. However, his coach recognized his potential as an athlete and encouraged him to try sprinting. Bolt participated in the 200-meter racing event at school and finished it in just 22.04 seconds.

Bolt’s career took off when he was coached by former sprinter Pablo McNeil. In 2001, he participated in the IAAF World Youth Championship and finished the 200m event in 21.73 seconds. He then won the 2002 World Junior Championships in Jamaica, completing the race in 20.61 seconds.

In 2003, Bolt made waves in the sports world with his performance at the CARIFTA Games. He also set new records in the 200m and 400m events at the Jamaican High School Championships.

2004 was a significant year for Bolt as he participated in the CARIFTA Games, World Junior Championships, and Athens Olympics. Although he faced an injury setback in the Olympic qualifier event, he continued to excel in sprinting.

Under the guidance of coach Glen Mills, Bolt achieved a remarkable win in a 200m event in 2005, finishing the race in 19.99 seconds. He also performed better in the 2005 World Championships compared to his previous year’s performance.

In 2006, Bolt had to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games due to a severe hamstring injury. However, he bounced back in 2007 at the World Championship, covering 200m in 19.91 seconds.

Despite doubts about his experience, Bolt qualified for the 100m final event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He won the 100m final in 9.69 seconds and the 200m final with a new Olympic record of 19.30 seconds. He also won a gold medal in the 4x100m relay.

Bolt continued to break records at the 2009 Berlin World Championships, winning gold in both the 100m and 200m events with world record times. He also won a gold medal in the 4x100m relay.

In the following years, Bolt continued to dominate the track, winning multiple gold medals at the World Championships and Olympics. He achieved the “triple-triple” at the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events.

After the 2017 World Championships, Bolt retired from track and field. He briefly trained with the Australian A-League club Central Coast Mariners but decided not to pursue a career in football.

Personal Life & Legacy

Bolt has fond memories of playing cricket and football with his brother Sadiki during his childhood. He has shown his humanitarian side by contributing to the victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Bolt is a fan of Manchester United and supports Dutch football player Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

In 2020, Bolt started dating Kasi Bennett, and they welcomed their daughter Olympia Bolt. In 2021, they welcomed twin sons named Thunder and Saint Leo.

Bolt has expressed interest in playing in the cricket tournament The Big Bash League but did not participate.

Awards and Achievements

Throughout his career, Bolt has received numerous honors and achievements. He won his first gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and continued to win gold medals at subsequent Olympics and World Championships. He holds world records in the 100m and 200m events.

Bolt expressed his interest in playing in the popular cricket tournament The Big Bash League but did not participate.

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Olympic Sprinter Usain Bolt Is Inspiring a New Generation of Athletes: "Anything Is Possible"

In addition to playing professional soccer, the fastest man alive and eight-time gold medalist has steadily been making strides to positively impact his native country of Jamaica. 

In the universal realm of sport, there are stars, and then there are supernovas. That said, there’s still only one Usain St. Leo Bolt. Born August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, Jamaica, Bolt gravitated to athletic competition, but not in the traditional track and field realm for which he became a record-smashing legend. His first loves were cricket and soccer, and had it not been for his youth coaches at William Knibb Memorial High School suggesting that the lanky kid with a big heart, undeniable charm, and infectious humor try his hand at sprinting, the world would unequivocally be a sadder place as the electrifying athlete has shown he’s not just a titan in his field and an all-time Olympic great, like Bob Marley, he’s also a hero to all those in the Jamaican communities he’s on a mission to uplift.

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Usain Bolt's Medals and Records

Standing at a staggering six-feet, five-inches, one would think that Usain Bolt fits better alongside the Golden State Warriors’ point guard Stephen Curry, not dominating the world’s best sprinters on his way to capturing eight gold medals. But the truth is often stranger than fiction, and Bolt never let his paradoxical frame — one that confounded pundits and paralyzed the competition — ever deter him from achieving greatness. While his first Games in Athens, Greece did not produce any accolades for the emerging phenom due to a nagging hamstring injury, the 2008 Olympic stage in Beijing, China was an entirely different story. With the goal of emulating former Team USA Olympic great Carl Lewis and fueled by critics who labeled him as lazy, Bolt stunned the world, earning gold medals in both the 100m and 200m race, but that only painted part of the picture. The lean machine with an idiosyncratic style not only won the 100m with a shoe untied, he accomplished what many proclaimed to be the impossible: in the process of torching the competition in the 200m on his 22 nd birthday, he also beat Michael Johnson ’s iconic record of 19.32 seconds by two hundredths that the American, golden-booted sprinter set at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Forget the Sweet n’ Sour sauce — those 100 McDonald’s chicken nuggets  per day in Beijing provided him all the mojo a growing champion needed.   Though Bolt earned an additional gold in the 4x100m relay in Beijing, which was later vacated in 2017, following a retest of his teammate’s Nesta Carter’s blood that revealed a banned substance, Bolt defended his reign by capturing a trifecta of gold medals – the 100m, the 200m and 4x100m relay — at the 2012 Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio. The history books will forever shine brightly on Bolt as he’s the only athlete to ever win the 100m and 200m in three consecutive Olympiads, and his 100m record of 9.58 seconds he set in 2009 — a race in which he eclipsed 27.5 miles per hour — still stands, making him truly the fastest human on the planet.

Why did Usain Bolt retire from Olympic competition?

Having suffered hamstring injuries early in his career before his first Games in Athens, Greece, the impact of those debilitating traumas is what ultimately curtailed Usain Bolt from making it into future Olympic Games. Coupled with lingering back issues that stem from the chronic stress his six-foot-five frame endured over the course of his career, the Jamaican legend officially retired from competitive sprinting after he pulled up early in the 4x100m relay event with another hamstring injury during the 2017 World Championships. Despite only being 30 years old, when it comes to Olympic sprinters, it takes a lot to gear up and refuel the tank, and according to Sports Illustrated , Bolt was never a big fan of the intense training that went into making him great and was finally able to put that part of his career behind him. In an era where doping from his peers tarnished his sport, the brilliance behind Bolt’s dominant performances cannot be overstated.

Usain Bolt's Soccer Career

There’s nothing that tops seeing your dreams come to fruition, and for Usain Bolt, who had long desired since childhood to play soccer at an elite level, Bolt made his pro debut in 2018 with the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, Australia’s top flight. Though he’s a diehard fan of Manchester United, he worked out for Borussia Dortmund in Germany’s top flight, even scoring with a header, but the Bundesliga heavyweights did not offer him a contract, and when negotiations with the Mariners broke down, according to Sports Illustrated , he walked away from further chasing down his first love of sports.  

“I don’t want to say it wasn’t dealt with properly, but I think we went about it, not the way we should," Bolt revealed, per SI’s reporting. "You learn your lesson, you live and you learn.” He continued, “It was a good experience. I really enjoyed just being in a team, and it was much different from track and field, and it was fun while it lasted.”

Though he was not able to convert his trial opportunities into any meaningful long-term contracts, he converted twice on the pitch in a pre-season friendly during his time with the Mariners down under.

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Television and Media Appearances

Considering the prolific nature of Usain Bolt’s career on the track, it should come as no surprise that the fastest man in the earthly realm has been featured in every daytime and nighttime talk show under the sun, but he’s also been the subject of several documentaries and docuseries. According to IMDB , he’s appeared alongside the Argentinian talisman Lionel Messi in Goat Camp (2020) and worked with LeBron James, Tom Brady, Marcus Rashford, Russell Wilson and Lindsey Vonn in Greatness Code (2020) . He also produced the Gatorade-distributed, animated short film The Boy Who Learned to Fly (2016) , which delves into Bolt’s life prior to his success on the track. Bolt even made a cameo appearance with Jason Sudeikis on Saturday Night Live (2012) , participating in a hilarious parody debate  between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan (jump to minute 7:20 for that gem), and he provided a priceless new character on the tried-and-true “Californians” sketch, where he lit up the screen with bleach-blonde hair and a version of the signature Cali accent you don’t want to miss.

What is Usain Bolt doing now?

It’s difficult to imagine that there will ever be another Olympic sprinter like Usain Bolt, but as bold of a legacy as he leaves behind on the track, since retiring from all athletic competitions, his life’s mission has now turned to inspiring youth athletes in his native country of Jamaica. The man whose striking pose of a lightning bolt that would make even Zeus jealous is confident that he can be a vital ambassador for the sport.

"I'm still waiting on a position from [World Athletics], I've reached out to them and let them know I would love to make a bigger impact in sports, as long as they want me to,” Bolt mentioned to Reuters in May of last year. "It's going to be a process. After me, it kind of went down because of who I was as a person, and how big my personality was.” "But I think over time it will be better,” continued the charismatic Olympic legend. “I think young athletes are coming up, and I see a few personalities that are needed in sport, hopefully in the upcoming years it will change. Hopefully I can play a part and help the sport to grow."

But inspiring the future generations is only part of how Bolt is ensuring he makes a lasting impact on the world. Through his philanthropic enterprise, The Usain Bolt Foundation , the eight-time gold medalist, who shares three children with his longtime girlfriend Kasi Bennett, is creating “opportunities through education and cultural development for a positive change” for the enrichment of children’s lives all across Jamaica. He has partnered with Epson to provide printers to several primary schools throughout his homeland as well as participating in a separate initiative to give 150 laptop computers to students in rural Jamaica. With the help of his friend and billionaire mogul Richard Branson, Bolt helped launch the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator as its ambassador, aiming to make 26 countries in the region, which covers one million square miles and supports more than 40 million people, the world’s first climate-smart zone, according to the World Bank . He’s even producing songs, like “Cryptic World,” that aim to address and tackle the many social issues that Jamaica faces.  

In attending the Expo 2020 Dubai, Bolt spoke to CNN’s Becky Anderson about also his critically important work with special needs athletes.  

“For me, it’s just all about to show determination, and for me, to see them go out there and work as hard as they do, it also inspires me to know that they have this disability, but they never give up.” Bolt said. “They want to be great athletes as well.” He added, “For me, it’s just to leave a legacy to prove to people that anything is possible.”

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The Life of Usain Bolt

Born in sherwood content, trelawny, jamaica.

Run Usain Run

Just Another Gold

Record Breaking Performance

Olymics Here We Come!

He Does It Again

THE FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD