The 2024 Olympic Games began more than a week ago, with the opening ceremony taking place in Paris on July 26. Since then, some of the world’s best athletes have competed in the Parisian capital, demonstrating their incredible level, but even so, there is still something missing for the most nostalgic.
And, as with everything in life, it is difficult to forget what left its mark on you at some point. That is why fans who grew up watching athletes like Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt feel that the Olympic Games are somewhat more watered down since these legends no longer compete. Even so, their legacy remains intact thanks to the marks that became records and medals in their day.
Usain Bolt Race
Usain Bolt’s name first came to the fore in the early 2000s, when the Jamaican became the youngest person to win a gold medal at the World Under-20 Championships. He quickly proved what he was capable of and went to the 2004 Athens Games at just 18 years old. However, in his first Olympic event he was eliminated in the first round due to injury.
When it seemed that his career could be ruined by physical problems, Bolt trained harder than ever. Thanks to his preparation and his incredible physique, over the following years the Jamaican became the best sprinter in history, winning eleven world titles in the 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015 championships.
Bolt at the Olympics
Usain Bolt’s legend was forged especially at the Olympic Games. Although he did not get to touch metal in Athens 2004, ‘Lightning Bolt’ has eight Olympic medals to his name, all of them gold.
Beijing 2008 was his grand introduction to the world, as he set world records in the 100m and 200m, which obviously earned him his first two medals. In London 2012 he won gold again in both categories and added another gold medal in the 4x100m. In his last Games, Rio de Janeiro 2016, he continued to make history and again came first in all three events.
World record
As well as his incredible track record, Usain Bolt is considered the fastest man in the world because he holds the world record for the 100 metres. The Jamaican broke the record in Beijing 2008, clocking 9.69 seconds in the 100-metre final, and not content with that, he surpassed it again at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. That year he recorded a time of 9.58 seconds, a record that no one has come close to beating.
As if that weren’t enough, Bolt also holds the world record for the 200-meter dash and the 4×100-meter relay. For the latter, he needed help from the Jamaican team, with whom he ran 36.84 seconds at the 2012 London Olympics.
What happened to him?
Since retiring from athletics in 2017, Usain Bolt has tried his luck in various worlds. On the one hand, he has created his own clothing brand and has entered the world of eSports, but his entrepreneurial side has not completely overshadowed the athlete within him.
Shortly after his retirement from competition, Bolt was seen training with football teams such as Borussia Dortmund. In 2018, Bolt signed with Australian football team Central Coast Mariners in an attempt to become a professional footballer, making three appearances and scoring two goals. A year later he played a match for Norwegian side Strømsgodset IF in what was his last attempt at becoming a footballer.
Currently, Bolt himself has explained that he is focused on being a good father to his children, and combines his family life with the management of several companies.
