Usain Bolt

 

Usain Bolt is a retired Jamaican sprinter who is largely regarded as the best sprinter of all time. He holds world records in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m relay.

Bolt is the first sprinter to have won the Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles in three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016). He also won two gold medals in the 4 x 100 relay. He rose to international prominence following his double sprint victories in world record times at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, making him the first individual to hold both marks since fully automatic timing became obligatory.

Eleven-time World Champion, he won gold medals in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m relays at the World Championships from 2009 to 2015, with the exception of a 2011 100 m false start. He is the World Championships' most successful male athlete. Bolt is the first athlete to win four World Championship medals in the 200 meters and is one of the most successful sprinters in history, having won three titles in the 100 meters.

Bolt broke his second 100 m world record of 9.69 seconds in 2009 with a time of 9.58 seconds - the largest improvement since electronic timing began. He has twice set the world record for the 200 meters, clocking 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in 2009. He has aided Jamaica in setting three world records in the 4 x 100 meters relay, the most recent of which is 36.84 seconds set in 2012. Bolt's most successful event is the 200 meters, which he has won three Olympic and four World championships in. He had previously won multiple 200 m medals (including silver at the 2007 World Championships) and held the world under-20 and world under-18 records for the event until they were overtaken by Erriyon Knighton in 2021.

His sprinting accomplishments gave him the media moniker "Lightning Bolt," and he has received numerous accolades, including 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 announced his retirement following the 2017 World Championships, when he placed third in his final solo 100 m race, withdrew from the 200 m, and failed to qualify for the 4100 m relay final.