Usain Bolt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Honourable
Usain Bolt
OJ CD

Bolt at the 25th Laureus World Sports Awards in April 2024
Personal information
Full name	Usain St. Leo Bolt
Nickname(s)	Lightning Bolt
Nationality	Jamaica
Born	(1986-08-21) 21 August 1986 (age 39) Sherwood Content, Trelawny, Jamaica
Height	1.95 m
Weight	94 kilograms (207 lb)
Signature
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprints
Club	Racers Track Club
Coached by	Glen Mills
Retired	2017
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 9.58 (2009, WR) 150 m: 14.35 (2009, WB) 200 m: 19.19 (2009, WR) 300 m: 30.97 (2010, NR) 400 m: 45.28 (2007)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Jamaica Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 8 0 0 World Championships 11 2 1 World Relays 0 1 0 CAC Championships 1 0 0 Commonwealth Games 1 0 0 World Junior Championships 1 2 0 World Youth Championships 1 0 0 Event 1st 2nd 3rd 100 m 6 0 1 200 m 10 1 0 4 × 100 m relay 7 3 0 4 × 400 m relay 0 1 0 Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m Gold 2012 London 100 m Gold 2012 London 200 m Gold 2012 London 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 100 m Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4 × 100 m relay World Championships Gold 2009 Berlin 100 m Gold 2009 Berlin 200 m Gold 2009 Berlin 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2011 Daegu 200 m Gold 2011 Daegu 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2013 Moscow 100 m Gold 2013 Moscow 200 m Gold 2013 Moscow 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2015 Beijing 100 m Gold 2015 Beijing 200 m Gold 2015 Beijing 4 × 100 m relay Silver 2007 Osaka 200 m Silver 2007 Osaka 4 × 100 m relay Bronze 2017 London 100 m World Athletics Relays Silver 2015 Nassau 4 × 100 m relay Diamond League 2012 100 metres CAC Championships Gold 2005 Nassau 200 m Commonwealth Games Gold 2014 Glasgow 4 × 100 m relay World Junior Championships Gold 2002 Kingston 200 m Silver 2002 Kingston 4 × 100 m relay Silver 2002 Kingston 4 × 400 m relay World Youth Championships Gold 2003 Sherbrooke 200 m Pan American Junior Championships Gold 2003 Bridgetown 200 m Silver 2003 Bridgetown 4 × 100 m relay CAC Junior Championships (U17) Gold 2002 Bridgetown 200 m Gold 2002 Bridgetown 400 m Gold 2002 Bridgetown 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2002 Bridgetown 4 × 400 m relay CARIFTA Games Junior (U20) Gold 2003 Port of Spain 200 m Gold 2003 Port of Spain 400 m Gold 2003 Port of Spain 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2003 Port of Spain 4 × 400 m relay Gold 2004 Hamilton 200 m Gold 2004 Hamilton 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2004 Hamilton 4 × 400 m relay CARIFTA Games Junior (U17) Gold 2002 Nassau 200 m Gold 2002 Nassau 400 m Gold 2002 Nassau 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2002 Nassau 4 × 400 m relay Silver 2001 Bridgetown 200 m Silver 2001 Bridgetown 400 m Silver 2001 Bridgetown 4 × 100 m relay Representing Americas World Cup Silver 2006 Athens 200 m

Usain St. Leo Bolt (born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter. Many people consider him the greatest sprinter of all time. He won eight Olympic gold medals. He also holds the world records for the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay races.

Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles in three Olympics in a row (2008, 2012, and 2016). He also earned two 4 × 100 m relay gold medals. He became famous worldwide for winning both sprint races with world record times at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This made him the first person to hold both records since electronic timing became standard.

Bolt won eleven World Championship titles. He won gold medals in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m relay from 2009 to 2015. The only exception was a false start in the 100 m in 2011. He is the most successful male athlete in the history of the World Championships. He is the first athlete to win four World Championship titles in the 200 m. He is also one of the most successful in the 100 m with three titles. He was the first person to run races faster than 9.7 seconds and then faster than 9.6 seconds.

Bolt improved his 100 m world record of 9.69 seconds to 9.58 seconds in 2009. This was the biggest improvement since electronic timing began. He broke the 200 m world record twice, running 19.30 seconds in 2008 and 19.19 seconds in 2009. He helped Jamaica set three 4 × 100 m relay world records. The current record is 36.84 seconds, set in 2012. Bolt's best event is the 200 m, where he won three Olympic and four World titles. The 2008 Olympics was his first time competing in the 100 m internationally. Before that, he had won many 200 m medals, including a silver at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. He also held world records for under-20 and under-18 athletes in the 200 m.

People called him "Lightning Bolt" because of his speed. He won many awards, including the IAAF World Athlete of the Year and Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year. Bolt retired after the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. He finished third in his last 100 m race. He did not compete in the 200 m and got injured during the 4 × 100 m relay final.

Usain Bolt: The Fastest Man Ever

Early Life and Discovering Speed

Usain St. Leo Bolt was born on 21 August 1986 in Sherwood Content, a small town in Jamaica. His parents, Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt, ran a local grocery store. Usain spent his childhood playing cricket and football in the street with his brother. He later said he mostly thought about sports when he was young.

Bolt attended Waldensia Primary School. There, he started showing his talent for sprinting. By age twelve, he was the fastest runner at his school in the 100 metres. He also loved European football teams like Real Madrid and Manchester United.

When he went to William Knibb Memorial High School, Bolt still played other sports. However, his cricket coach noticed how fast he was and told him to try track and field. Former Olympic sprinter Pablo McNeil and Dwayne Jarrett became his coaches. They encouraged him to focus on improving his athletic skills. Bolt won his first high school championships medal in 2001, taking silver in the 200 metres.

Becoming a World-Class Sprinter

Bolt first represented Jamaica at a Caribbean event, the 2001 CARIFTA Games. He won a silver medal in the 400 metres and another silver in the 200 metres. He then competed at the 2001 World Youth Championships in Athletics in Hungary. He set a new personal best in the 200 m but did not reach the finals.

Bolt continued to set records at the CARIFTA Games, winning the 200 m and 400 m. He also set records at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships. He is one of only a few athletes to win World Championships at youth, junior, and senior levels. Jamaica's former Prime Minister, P. J. Patterson, recognized Bolt's talent. He arranged for Bolt to train with the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association in Kingston.

Rise to Prominence in Junior Athletics

The 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics took place in Kingston, Jamaica. Bolt, at 15 years old and 1.95 m tall, stood out. He won the 200 m, becoming the youngest world-junior gold medalist ever. He also won two silver medals in relay races, setting national junior records.

Bolt continued his success, winning four gold medals at the 2003 CARIFTA Games. He was named the most outstanding athlete. He also won gold at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics. He set a new record in the 200 m. Even Michael Johnson, a 200 m world-record holder, noticed Bolt's potential. Bolt received the IAAF Rising Star Award for 2002.

In 2003, Bolt broke high school records in the 200 m and 400 m. He later improved his 200 m time at the 2003 Pan American Junior Championships. His speed led many to believe he could be the next great sprinter. However, Bolt was sometimes distracted by city life and preferred fast food and parties over strict training.

Early Professional Career and Challenges

Bolt turned professional in 2004 under coach Fitz Coleman. He became the first junior sprinter to run the 200 m in under twenty seconds. He set a new world junior record of 19.93 seconds. A hamstring injury in May affected his chances at the 2004 World Junior Championships. He still joined the Jamaican Olympic team for the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, his injury limited him, and he was eliminated early in the 200 m.

American colleges offered Bolt scholarships, but he chose to stay and train in Jamaica. In 2005, he started working with a new coach, Glen Mills. Mills helped Bolt become more professional. Bolt improved his 200 m times, but an injury at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki forced him to finish last. This made him the youngest person to appear in a 200 m world final.

Bolt faced more injuries in 2006, missing the 2006 Commonwealth Games. After recovering, he focused on improving his flexibility. He set a new personal best of 19.88 seconds in the 200 m. In 2007, he won his first major world medal, a bronze, at the IAAF World Athletics Final. He also earned a silver medal at the IAAF World Cup. Bolt wanted to run the 100 m, but his coach was unsure. Mills said Bolt could run the 100 m if he broke the 200 m national record. Bolt did, running 19.75 seconds and breaking a 36-year-old record. He then won gold in his first 100 m race at a meeting in Crete. At the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Japan, he won silver in the 200 m and another silver in the 4 × 100 m relay.

World Record Breaker: The Legend Begins

The silver medals from 2007 made Bolt more determined. He started taking his career more seriously. In May 2008, he ran the 100 m in 9.76 seconds, the second-fastest time ever. On 31 May 2008, Bolt set a new 100 m world record of 9.72 seconds in New York City. This was only his fifth senior 100 m race.

Bolt trained hard for the Beijing Summer Olympics. He aimed to win both the 100 m and 200 m.

Olympic Glory in Beijing 2008

"USAIN BOLT! SPRINTING AHEAD, WINNING BY DAYLIGHT!"—Tom Hammond, NBC Sports, describing Bolt's win in the men's 100 metres final at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

In the Olympic 100 m final on 16 August, Bolt broke his own world record, winning in 9.69 seconds. He was far ahead of the second-place finisher. He even slowed down to celebrate before the finish line! Experts later calculated he could have run even faster. Bolt said his main goal was just to win gold, not to set a record.

Bolt doing the "Lightning Bolt" pose before breaking the 200 m world record in the Beijing National Stadium

Bolt then aimed for gold in the 200 m. He won, setting another new world and Olympic record of 19.30 seconds. This made him the first sprinter to hold both 100 m and 200 m world records at the same time. He was also the first to break both records at the same Olympics.

Two days later, Bolt helped the Jamaican 4 × 100 m relay team win gold. They broke another world and Olympic record with a time of 37.10 seconds. However, in January 2017, the Jamaican relay team's gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Games was removed because a teammate was found to have broken a sports rule.

Bolt's amazing runs made people wonder if he was the greatest sprinter ever. His success brought new excitement to track and field.

Berlin 2009: Breaking More Records

Bolt beating Tyson Gay and setting a 100 m world record at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin

Bolt started 2009 by competing in 400 m races to improve his speed. In May, he set the fastest time ever recorded for 150 m, running 14.35 seconds. He then qualified for both the 100 m and 200 m at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin.

At the World Championships, Bolt set a new 100 m world record of 9.58 seconds. This record still stands today! He improved his previous best by more than a tenth of a second. This was the biggest improvement in the 100 m world record since electronic timing began.

Bolt then broke his own 200 m world record, finishing in 19.19 seconds. He won the 200 m race by the largest margin in World Championships history. His speed amazed even other experienced sprinters. Bolt noted that his improved starts helped his performance. The Jamaican 4 × 100 m relay team also won gold, setting a championship record.

2011 World Championships: A False Start and New Wins

Bolt had a great 2011 season, winning all his 100 m and 200 m races before the World Championships. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, he was expected to win the 100 m. However, he was disqualified from the final for a false start. This was a big surprise and led to discussions about the rules. His countryman, Yohan Blake, won the race.

Bolt bounced back in the 200 m final, winning with a time of 19.40 seconds. This was the fourth-fastest run ever at that time. He became one of only two men to win consecutive 200 m world titles. Bolt also won another gold medal with Jamaica in the 4 × 100 m relay. The team set a new world record of 37.04 seconds.

London 2012: Defending His Titles

Bolt at the start of his record-breaking win during the 100 metres final at the 2012 Summer Olympics

At the 2012 London Olympics, Bolt won the 100 m gold medal. He improved his own Olympic record with a time of 9.63 seconds. This made him the first man to successfully defend an Olympic sprint title since 1988.

Bolt then successfully defended his Olympic 200 m title, finishing in 19.32 seconds. This made him the first man in history to defend both the 100 m and 200 m Olympic sprint titles. He celebrated dramatically, gesturing to silence his critics and doing push-ups.

On the last day of the Olympics, Bolt helped Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team win gold. They set a new world record of 36.84 seconds. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge later called him the best sprinter of all time.

2013 World Championships: Most Successful Athlete

100 m heat, Moscow, 2013

In 2013, Bolt faced a rare defeat in the 100 m at the Golden Gala, losing to Justin Gatlin. However, he quickly regained his top form. At the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Bolt won the 100 m title in wet conditions with a time of 9.77 seconds.

He also won the 200 m final, becoming the first man to win three gold medals over that distance at the World Championships. Bolt then secured a third consecutive world relay gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay. This made him the most successful athlete in the 30-year history of the World Championships. For the fifth time, Bolt was named IAAF World Male Athlete of the Year.

2014: Injury and Commonwealth Games

In March 2014, Bolt injured his hamstring, which kept him from training for nine weeks. After recovering, he competed in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He and his teammates won the relay in 37.58 seconds, setting a Commonwealth Games record. This was his main competition that year.

2015 Beijing World Championships

Bolt after winning his fourth 200 m world title

At the start of the 2015 season, Bolt was returning from injury. He competed in fewer races than usual. Going into the World Championships in Beijing, many thought Justin Gatlin was in better form.

However, in the 100 m final, Bolt leaned at the finish line to beat Gatlin by a tiny margin, 9.79 to 9.80 seconds. This was his third 100 m world title. He also won the 200 m final with a time of 19.55 seconds, his fifth-fastest ever. This was his fourth consecutive win in the 200 m at the World Championships, a truly amazing achievement.

Bolt also won a fourth straight gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay with the Jamaican team.

Rio 2016: The Triple-Triple

Andre De Grasse and Bolt after running the 100 m final at the 2016 Olympics

Before the 2016 Rio Olympics, Bolt had competed less due to injuries. Still, he was ready for his final Olympics. He won the 100 m gold medal with a time of 9.81 seconds. This made him the first athlete to win the event three times at the Olympic Games.

Bolt then won a gold medal in the 200 m, also becoming the first athlete to win this event three times at the Olympics. He then ran the final leg for Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team, securing his third consecutive and last Olympic gold medal in the event. With these wins, Bolt achieved the "triple-triple" – three sprinting gold medals in three consecutive Olympics. He finished his Olympic career with a perfect record in finals.

2017 Season and Retirement

Bolt after injuring his hamstring in the 4 × 100 m relay final of the 2017 World Athletics Championships

In 2017, Bolt took part in a new track and field series called Nitro Athletics. He led his team, the Bolt All-Stars, to victory.

At the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, Bolt won a bronze medal in his final individual race, the 100 m. He finished just behind Christian Coleman and Justin Gatlin. This was the first time Bolt had been beaten in a major championship 100 m race since 2007. In what was meant to be his very last race, the 4 × 100 m relay final, Bolt suffered a hamstring injury with 50 metres to go. He collapsed but refused a wheelchair, crossing the finish line with the help of his teammates.

On 3 December 2017, a statue of Usain Bolt was unveiled in his honor at the National Stadium in Kingston. The statue shows him in his famous "lightning bolt" pose.

Life Beyond the Track

Personal Interests and Family

Bolt is known for his relaxed personality and love for dancing. His Jamaican track and field heroes include Herb McKenley and Don Quarrie. He also admires Michael Johnson.

His nickname, "Lightning Bolt," comes from his name and incredible speed. He is Catholic and often makes the sign of the cross before races. He also wears a Miraculous Medal.

Bolt enjoys music and even played a reggae DJ set in Paris in 2010. He is also a big fan of the Call of Duty video game series.

Bolt has a partner, Kasi Bennett, and they have three children. Their daughter, Olympia Lightning, was born in May 2020. In June 2021, they welcomed twin boys, Thunder and Saint Leo.

Trying Other Sports

Cricket was Bolt's first love. He has said he would have been a fast bowler if he hadn't become a sprinter. He admired Pakistani cricketer Waqar Younis and Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar. He even clean-bowled West Indian opener Chris Gayle in a charity match!

Bolt is also a big fan of the Premier League football team Manchester United. He has often said he would love to play for them. In 2013, he played basketball in the NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game.

After retiring from track and field, Bolt pursued his dream of playing professional football. In 2018, he trained with Norwegian club Strømsgodset and played in a friendly match. He wore the number "9.58" as a nod to his 100 m world record. He also trained with Australian club Central Coast Mariners and scored two goals in a friendly game. However, in January 2019, Bolt decided not to continue his football career, saying his "sports life is over."

Business Ventures and Music

Bolt wearing Puma shoes as part of a sponsorship deal

Bolt has had many sponsorship deals throughout his career, including with Puma and Gatorade. He also appeared in advertisements for Virgin Media and Visa. In 2012, he launched a mobile game called Bolt!, which became very popular. He also designed his own line of headphones with Soul Electronics.

In 2018, Usain Bolt co-founded an electric scooter company called Bolt Mobility. He appeared in commercials and interviews for the company, which expanded to Europe in 2019. He also introduced the company's future minicar, the Nano. Bolt explained that he wanted to help solve traffic problems in cities. However, in July 2022, Bolt Mobility stopped its operations.

In 2021, Usain Bolt partnered with SprintRay Inc., a company that makes dental 3D printing technology. Together, they launched "Bolt Labs powered by SprintRay" in Jamaica. This project aims to make dental care more accessible in Jamaica and the Caribbean. They use 3D printing to create dental items quickly and affordably.

Bolt has also ventured into music production. In 2019, he released his first dancehall music project, the Olympe Rosé riddim. He followed this with another compilation called Immortal Riddim. In 2021, he released a single called "Living the Dream" with his childhood friend and manager.

Awards and Achievements

Sally Pearson and Bolt with their IAAF Athlete of the Year awards in Monaco

Usain Bolt has received many awards for his incredible career:

• IAAF World Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016
• Track & Field Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2009
• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017
• Gazzetta Sports Awards World Sportsman of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
• BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2012
• L'Équipe Champion of Champions: 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015
• Jamaica Sportsman of the year: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013
• AIPS Male Athlete of the Year: 2015
• Marca Leyenda (2009)
• In October 2008, he was made a Commander of the Order of Distinction.
• In 2009, at age 23, Usain Bolt became the youngest member of the Order of Jamaica. This award was for his amazing performance in athletics.

Usain Bolt's Amazing Records

Bolt poses with his 200 m gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Here are some of Usain Bolt's best times and records:

Bolt also holds world best times for:

• 60 metres indoors in 6.31 seconds (2009)
• 100 metres indoors in 9.98 seconds (2014)
• 150 metres straight in 14.35 seconds (2009) – during this run, he covered the last 100 m in 8.70 seconds, the quickest ever recorded for that distance.
• 300 metres in 30.97 seconds (2010) – this is the fourth fastest time ever.
• Swedish relay in 1:46.59 (2006)

Bolt's 100 m personal best of 9.58 seconds is the fastest ever. He also holds the second fastest time of 9.63 seconds, which is the current Olympic record. He set two previous world records in the 100 m. His 200 m personal best of 19.19 seconds is also a world record.

Bolt was part of three world-record-setting Jamaican relay teams. The first record, 37.10 seconds, was set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. However, this result was later removed in 2017 because a teammate was found to have broken a sports rule. The second record was 37.04 seconds at the 2011 World Championships. The third world record was 36.84 seconds at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Bolt holds world best results for teenage athletes in the 200 m for ages 15, 16, 17, and 18. He completed 53 legal 100 m races in under 10 seconds during his career.

Images for kids

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  Bolt at the Crystal Palace Meeting in 2007

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  Bolt trailing behind Gay in the closing stages of the 200 m race, 2007

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  Bolt (left) on the podium with his silver medal from the 200 m race in Osaka (2007). Winner: Tyson Gay in the center.

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  Bolt poses and celebrates for press photographers after winning the 100 m final at the 2008 Olympics.

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  Bolt (centre) in the starting blocks before breaking the world record for 150 metres (14.35 seconds)

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  Bolt addresses the press in the Mixed Zone at the 2009 IAAF World Championships.

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  Michael Frater, Bolt, and Asafa Powell after winning the 4 × 100 m relay. Steve Mullings is missing from the picture.

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  Bolt during the 200 m final at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu

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  Bolt celebrating his relay victory at the 2011 World Championships

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  Bolt at the start of the 2012 Olympic 200 m

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  Bolt celebrating at the 2013 London Anniversary Games

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  Bolt running the 2013 World 100 m heats

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  Bolt after winning his fourth 200 m world title

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  Bolt taking a close World 100 m win over Justin Gatlin

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  Andre De Grasse and Bolt after running the 100 m final at the 2016 Olympics

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  Bolt after injuring his hamstring in the 4 × 100 m relay final of the 2017 World Athletics Championships

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  Bolt with the IAAF men's Athlete of the Year award in Monaco

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  Waxwork of Bolt in his "lightning bolt" pose at Madame Tussauds, London

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  Bolt wearing Puma shoes as part of a sponsorship deal

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  Sally Pearson and Bolt with their IAAF Athlete of the Year awards in Monaco

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  Bolt poses with his 200 m gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics

See Also

In Spanish: Usain Bolt para niños

• Athletics in Jamaica
• Jamaica at the Olympics
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
• Men's 100 metres world record progression
• Men's 200 metres world record progression
• Sport in Berlin
• Nominative determinism