Usain Bolt is a Jamaican retired sprinter who is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time. He is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 x 100 metres relay, records that have stood for more than a decade. From a small village in Jamaica to the biggest stages in world sport, his speed, showmanship and famous “To Di World” pose made him the most recognisable athlete on the planet. This is his full story.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Usain St. Leo Bolt |
| Age | 40 years old |
| Date of Birth | August 21, 1986 |
| Birthplace | Sherwood Content, Trelawny, Jamaica |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (195 cm) |
| Nationality | Jamaican |
| Occupation | Retired Sprinter |
| Partner | Kasi Bennett (partner since 2014) |
| Children | Olympia Lightning Bolt, Saint Leo Bolt and Thunder Bolt |
| Net Worth | Approx. $90 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025) |
Who Is Usain Bolt?
Usain Bolt is a Jamaican retired sprinter. Born on August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, Trelawny, Jamaica, he is 40 years old and stands 6 ft 5 in (195 cm) tall. His partner is Kasi Bennett, and they have three children together.
Bolt is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time. He is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres (9.58 seconds), the 200 metres (19.19 seconds) and the 4 x 100 metres relay (36.84 seconds). He won the 100 metres and 200 metres at three consecutive Olympic Games, in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, a feat no other sprinter has ever achieved. His net worth is estimated at approximately $90 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025). Like fellow sporting icons Michael Phelps and Simone Biles, Bolt’s name is shorthand for sporting greatness itself.
Early Life & Background
Usain St. Leo Bolt was born on August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, a small village in the parish of Trelawny, Jamaica. His parents, Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt, ran a grocery store in the village, and Usain grew up playing cricket and football with his brother Sadiki. He was a fast bowler in cricket before his speed on the running track was noticed at school, and he began to focus on sprinting at William Knibb Memorial High School, where he was coached by Pablo McNeil.
At the age of 15, Bolt won gold in the 200 metres at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the event, in front of a home crowd. He joined the Racers Track Club in Kingston under coach Glen Mills, who would guide him for the rest of his career, and he made his Olympic debut at Athens 2004, where he was eliminated in the heats of the 200 metres. It was the last time he would fail on a major stage, and he spent the next four years turning himself into the fastest man in history.
Career
Bolt’s breakthrough came at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won the 100 metres in a world record 9.69 seconds, easing up before the finish line, and the 200 metres in 19.30 seconds, breaking Michael Johnson’s 12-year-old record. He added gold in the 4 x 100 metres relay, and at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin he set the world records that still stand today: 9.58 seconds in the 100 metres and 19.19 seconds in the 200 metres. At the London 2012 Olympics, he defended both titles and anchored Jamaica to a world record 36.84 seconds in the 4 x 100 metres relay.
At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Bolt completed the “triple-triple”, winning the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 x 100 metres relay at a third consecutive Games, a feat no sprinter had ever achieved. He originally won nine Olympic gold medals, but the 2008 relay gold was later stripped after a teammate, Nesta Carter, was found to have committed a doping violation, leaving Bolt with eight. He won 11 World Championship gold medals in total and retired after the 2017 World Championships in London, where he took bronze in the 100 metres in his final individual race. In 2018, he briefly tried professional football, training with the Central Coast Mariners in Australia, before deciding to retire from sport for good.
Off the track, Bolt built a business empire, including the Usain Bolt Foundation, which funds education and cultural development for children in Jamaica, his Tracks & Records restaurants and a long-standing partnership with Puma. He has been with his partner Kasi Bennett since 2014, and the couple have three children: daughter Olympia Lightning Bolt, born in 2020, and twin sons Saint Leo Bolt and Thunder Bolt, born in 2021. Like Michael Jordan, Bolt showed that a sporting career can become a global brand, and that the fastest man alive can also be the most entertaining.
Facts About Usain Bolt
- He is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres (9.58 seconds), the 200 metres (19.19 seconds) and the 4 x 100 metres relay (36.84 seconds).
- He won the 100 metres and 200 metres at three consecutive Olympic Games, in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, a feat no other sprinter has ever achieved.
- He won 11 World Championship gold medals in total, and he set his world records in the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.
- At the age of 15, he won gold in the 200 metres at the 2002 World Junior Championships, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the event.
- He is 6 ft 5 in (195 cm) tall, unusually tall for a sprinter, and his famous “To Di World” pose, pointing to the sky, became one of the most recognisable celebrations in sport.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Usain Bolt?
Usain Bolt is 40 years old. He was born on August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, Trelawny, Jamaica.
How tall is Usain Bolt?
Usain Bolt is 6 ft 5 in (195 cm) tall.
Who is Usain Bolt’s partner?
Usain Bolt’s partner is Kasi Bennett. They have been together since 2014 and have three children: daughter Olympia Lightning Bolt and twin sons Saint Leo Bolt and Thunder Bolt.
What is Usain Bolt’s net worth?
Usain Bolt’s net worth is estimated at approximately $90 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025), built from his athletics career, endorsements and business ventures.