Usain Bolt facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids
The Honourable
Usain Bolt
OJ CD
Personal information
Bolt in August 2009
Nickname(s)	Lightning Bolt
Nationality	Jamaica
Born	(1986-08-21) 21 August 1986 (age 40) Sherwood Content, Trelawny, Jamaica
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	94 kilograms (207 lb)

Signature


Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprints
Club	Racers Track Club
Coached by	Glen Mills
Retired	2017

Usain St. Leo Bolt (born 21 August 1986) is a retired track runner from Jamaica. Many people consider him the greatest sprinter in sports history.

He won eight Olympic gold medals during his career. Bolt holds the world records in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay.

Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive Olympic Games. He achieved these victories in 2008, 2012, and 2016.

He also earned eleven gold medals at the World Championships. His rapid running speed earned him the nickname "Lightning Bolt."

Who Is Usain Bolt? Early Life and School Years

Growing Up in Rural Jamaica

Usain Bolt was born on 21 August 1986 in Sherwood Content, a small town in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica. His parents, Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt, operated a local grocery store. He grew up alongside his brother Sadiki and his sister Sherine.

As a young boy, Bolt spent most of his free time outdoors. He played cricket and football in the streets with his brother. Sports were his main passion throughout his youth.

Bolt attended Waldensia Primary School. There, teachers and classmates noticed his remarkable running speed during local school competitions. By twelve years of age, he had become the fastest runner in his school over 100 metres.

Discovering Track and Field at High School

Bolt later attended William Knibb Memorial High School. While he loved playing cricket, his cricket coaches noticed his fast running speed. They encouraged him to try track and field events instead.

Former Olympic runner Pablo McNeil and coach Dwayne Jarrett began coaching Bolt. They taught him sprint techniques and urged him to train regularly.

In 2001, Bolt won his first high school championship medal. He earned silver in the 200 metres with a time of 22.04 seconds. Coach McNeil worked closely with Bolt to develop his natural talent.

Youth Competitions: The Rise of a Sprint Prodigy

First International Track Appearances

Bolt represented Jamaica at the 2001 CARIFTA Games. He earned silver medals in both the 200 metres and 400 metres events.

Later that summer, he competed at the 2001 World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. Although he did not reach the 200 metres final, he posted a personal best of 21.73 seconds.

In 2002, Bolt won both the 200 metres and 400 metres at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships. He began setting records across regional junior competitions.

Becoming World Junior Champion

Bolt at the Crystal Palace Meeting in 2007

The 2002 World Junior Championships took place in Kingston, Jamaica. Running before his home fans, fifteen-year-old Bolt stood out because of his tall height.

He won gold in the 200 metres with a time of 20.61 seconds. This victory made him the youngest world junior gold medalist in track history. The Jamaican team also won two silver medals in the relay events.

In 2003, Bolt won four gold medals at the CARIFTA Games. He also won gold in the 200 metres at the World Youth Championships in Canada.

He broke national high school records in 2003, running 200 metres in 20.25 seconds. His outstanding junior times matched marks set by top adult sprinters.

Professional Track Career: Breaking World Records

Early Professional Challenges (2004–2007)

Bolt running behind Tyson Gay in 2007

Bolt turned professional in 2004 under coach Fitz Coleman. At the 2004 CARIFTA Games, he became the first junior sprinter to run 200 metres under twenty seconds, timing 19.93 seconds.

He qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. However, a leg injury slowed him down, and he was eliminated in the first round.

In 2005, Bolt began working with coach Glen Mills. Coach Mills helped Bolt build core strength, stay disciplined, and refine his stride mechanics.

Bolt (left) on the podium with a silver medal in 2007

At the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Bolt won silver in the 200 metres behind American sprinter Tyson Gay. Bolt also won silver in the 4 × 100 metres relay with Jamaica.

These medals inspired Bolt to train harder and try running the shorter 100 metres event. Coach Mills agreed to let him sprint the 100 metres if he kept setting strong marks in the 200 metres.

Setting His First 100 Metre World Record

On 3 May 2008, Bolt ran the 100 metres in 9.76 seconds in Kingston. It was the second-fastest legal time in history at that moment.

On 31 May 2008, at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York City, Bolt set a new 100 metres world record. He ran the distance in 9.72 seconds during only his fifth senior 100 metres race.

Olympic Glory: Historic Olympic Gold Medals

Beijing 2008: A Breakthrough Performance

Bolt winning the 100 m final in Beijing

Bolt striking his famous pose in 2008

Bolt arrived at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as a major favorite. In the 100 metres final on 16 August 2008, Bolt won the gold medal in a world record time of 9.69 seconds.

He crossed the finish line well ahead of his competitors, celebrating as he finished the race. Scientists later calculated that he could have run even faster without celebrating before the line.

Four days later, Bolt won the 200 metres final in 19.30 seconds. This broke the previous world record of 19.32 seconds held by Michael Johnson.

Bolt became the first sprinter in modern history to break both sprint world records at the same Olympic Games. He celebrated his 22nd birthday right after these historic races.

Bolt celebrates for photographers after winning gold

Bolt also helped Jamaica win the 4 × 100 metres relay in a world record time of 37.10 seconds. However, this relay medal was later removed in 2017 because one of his teammates committed an anti-doping violation.

Berlin 2009: World Records That Still Stand

Bolt in the starting blocks in Manchester

Bolt winning the 100 m final in Berlin

At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany, Bolt achieved his greatest individual race times. On 16 August 2009, he won the 100 metres final in 9.58 seconds.

This cut 0.11 seconds off his own world record. During this race, his top speed reached 44.72 kilometres per hour (27.79 miles per hour).

Four days later, Bolt won the 200 metres final in 19.19 seconds. This broke his previous 200 metres world record by another 0.11 seconds.

Bolt also helped Jamaica win the 4 × 100 metres relay gold medal in 37.31 seconds. City officials in Berlin gave him a section of the historic Berlin Wall to celebrate his achievements.

Bolt speaking to reporters in Berlin

London 2012: Defending Olympic Titles

Bolt during the 200 m final in Daegu

Bolt celebrating relay victory in 2011

Bolt at the start of the 2012 Olympic 100 m final

Bolt at the start of the 2012 Olympic 200 m

At the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Bolt had a false start in the 100 metres final and was disqualified. He bounced back by winning gold in the 200 metres (19.40 seconds) and the 4 × 100 metres relay (37.04 seconds, a new world record).

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Bolt defended his Olympic titles. He won the 100 metres final with an Olympic record time of 9.63 seconds.

He then won the 200 metres final in 19.32 seconds, leading a Jamaican medal sweep alongside Yohan Blake and Warren Weir.

Bolt anchored the Jamaican 4 × 100 metres relay team to gold in a new world record time of 36.84 seconds. He became the first athlete to defend both individual Olympic sprint titles.

Championship Dominance and Rio 2016 Olympics

Bolt celebrating in London

At the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Bolt won gold medals in the 100 metres (9.77 s), 200 metres (19.66 s), and 4 × 100 metres relay (37.36 s).

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he helped Jamaica win gold in the 4 × 100 metres relay in 37.58 seconds.

At the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, Bolt won three more gold medals, edging rival Justin Gatlin in both the 100 metres (9.79 s) and 200 metres (19.55 s).

Bolt celebrating his 200 m victory in Beijing

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Bolt won the 100 metres (9.81 s), the 200 metres (19.78 s), and the 4 × 100 metres relay (37.27 s). He became the first runner to win the Olympic 100 m and 200 m events three times in a row.

Final Season and Retirement (2017)

Bolt retired after the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London. He won a bronze medal in his final individual 100 metres race with a time of 9.95 seconds.

During his final competitive race in the 4 × 100 metres relay final, Bolt suffered a hamstring muscle injury. Teammates helped him walk across the finish line before fans gave him a warm farewell.

In December 2017, a bronze statue of Bolt in his signature pose was unveiled at Jamaica's National Stadium in Kingston.

Personal Life and Other Passions

Bolt is famous for his cheerful personality, love of dancing, and friendly interactions with race volunteers. He often performs his trademark victory celebration, called the "Lightning Bolt" or "To Di World" pose.

Bolt has scoliosis, an uneven curve in the spine that makes his right leg slightly shorter than his left. Through training and physiotherapy, he adapted his running style to become the fastest human on Earth.

He enjoys playing video games, listening to reggae music, and spending time with his family. Bolt and his partner Kasi Bennett have three children: daughter Olympia Lightning and twin sons Thunder and Saint Leo.

Bolt loves football and cricket. In 2018, he trained with professional football clubs, including Norwegian team Strømsgodset and Australian team Central Coast Mariners, scoring two goals in a friendly match.

He has also supported youth sports, healthcare, and educational programs in Jamaica through community outreach and charitable partnerships.

Complete Medals and Statistics

World and Olympic Records

Event	Time (seconds)	Date and Venue	Record Status
100 metres	9.58	16 August 2009, Berlin	World Record
200 metres	19.19	20 August 2009, Berlin	World Record
4 × 100 metres relay	36.84	11 August 2012, London	World Record

International Medals Overview

Olympic Games: 8 Gold Medals (100 m: 2008, 2012, 2016; 200 m: 2008, 2012, 2016; 4 × 100 m: 2012, 2016)
World Championships: 11 Gold Medals, 2 Silver Medals, 1 Bronze Medal
IAAF World Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016