Usain Bolt Biography

Sep 03, 2008

Birthdate: August 21, 1986
Birthplace: Trelawny, Jamaica

This Jamaican sprinter made history in Beijing by winning three gold medals in world record fashion. We got the goods on the world's fastest man!

Growing Up

As a kid growing up in Jamaica, Usain spent most of his time playing cricket and soccer. When he started elementary school, he discovered his talent for running. Even though he was one of the best sprinters in high school, Usain didn't practice hard and didn't take the sport seriously. He was more interested in chasing girls. By the time he was 15, Bolt had grown to be 6'5" and dominated the 2002 World Junior Championships. He became the youngest person to ever win the 200 m at event and also set national junior records in the 4 x 100 m abd 4 x 400 m relays. Usain signed his first professional contract immediately after he graduated from high school at the age of 17.

Track Career

Usain's professional career got off to a rocky start as he was left off of Jamaica's roster for the 2003 World Track and Field Championships because team officials felt he was not ready to compete at that level. A hamstring injury spoiled his Olympic debut at the 2004 Summer games in Athens where he was eliminated in the first round of the 200 m. Injuries sidelined Usain the next season, but he finally got healthy in 2006. That year, he ran seven races under 20.30 seconds including a personal best of 19.96 at the the Athens World Cup. In 2007, Usain took second place at the World Championships in the 200 m. 2008 proved to be his year as he rose to the top of the sprinting world. Just before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Usain broke the 100 m record by running a 9.72 in the Reebok Grand Prix in New York City.

2008 Summer Games

Everybody knew that usain would be a major player in the Olympics, but nobody envisioned what he actually accomplished. On top of winning gold in all three of his events (100 m, 200 m, 4 x 100 m) Usain broke the record in each one! He broke his own 100 m by running an incredible 9.69. In that race, Usain kind of jogged the last 20 m, so many experts believe he could have ran even 2 tenths of a second faster if he ran at 100 percent. Usain shattered Michael Johnson's 12-year old 200 m record by running a 19.30. Then he capped of his Beijing experience by helping the Jamaican 4 x 100 m relay team run a record 37.10! That topped the previous record by a full second! Aside from Michael Phelps, Usain was the most decorated Olympian in Beijing. It was certainly the greatest track and field performance since Carl Lewis in the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.