Usain St Leo Bolt was born 21 August 1986 is a Jamaican retired sprinter and current footballer for Central Coast Mariners of the A-League. He also is a world record holder in the 100 meters, 200, and 4 × 100 meters relay.
His reign as Olympic Games champion in all of these events spans three Olympics. Owing to his achievements and dominance in sprint competition, he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time.
A nine-time Olympic gold medalist, Bolt won the 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games, although he lost the 2008 relay gold medal about nine years after due to a teammate’s doping disqualification.
He gained worldwide fame for his double sprint victory in world record times at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which made him the first person to hold both records since fully automatic time became mandatory. Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016).
His achievements as a sprinter have earned him the media nickname “Lightning Bolt”, and his awards include the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track & Field Athlete of the Year, BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year (three times) and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (four times). Bolt retired after the 2017 World Championships, when he finished third in his last solo 100 m race, opted out of the 200m, and pulled up in the 4×100m relay final.
Stating that it was his “dream” to play professional association football, in August 2018 Bolt began training with Australian football A-League club the Central Coast Mariners as a left-winger. On 12 October 2018, Bolt scored twice for the team in a friendly
Usain Bolt is the fastest man alive. As destiny would have it, his last name, Bolt, truly describes what it’s like watching the Jamaican Olympian take off on the track. It’s tempting to call it magical, but really, it’s important to recognize he’s the epitome of natural talent and dedication and hard work.
Bolt deserves full credit and glory for his jaw-dropping accomplishments. And his Olympic gold-winning, 200-meter race in Rio Thursday night proved, again, that he is truly the greatest. But Bolt means so much more than his history-breaking track record – his image is powerful for everyone, and particularly, for Jamaicans, and black people throughout the Diaspora.
Here’s how Usain Bolt is an inspiration for the world on and off the track. In a time of widespread systemic racism and oppression, Bolt is a light – a lightning bolt, that is.
In 2015, the track superstar donated $1.3 million to his high school alma mater, William Knibb Memorial High School, as well as sporting equipment and supplies, The Gleaner reported. More recently, he demanded that his ad photo shoots be done in Jamaica, in order to provide more jobs on the island.
But Bolt enters every race with unapologetic confidence, dance moves, and a striking smile. It’s an important carefree attitude that goes against a lingering history of oppression throughout the Diaspora.
Many famous black athletes now, and throughout history, have shown similar confidence, and Bolt adds to the list of greats who are unapologetically proud.
Bolt certainly has the world record to back up his celebratory style — let’s face it, when you’re the fastest man on the planet, you’re allowed to beat your chest into the finish line.
Bolt is one-of-a-kind and inspirational, and to keep things completely authentic:
