Usain Bolt
Biography
So, how do you become the greatest sprinter of all time?
Usain St. Leo Bolt once said, ‘When I was young, I
didn’t really think about anything other than sports.’
He first showed sprinting potential at a very young age
and became the fastest 100m runner at his school by
the age of 12. Whilst at secondary school, Usain was
encouraged to concentrate on sprinting, which led him to
win his first High School Championships medal. Since then,
he has set new world records, overcome injuries, won numerous
medals, become a national treasure in his home country of Jamaica and
he hasn’t even finished yet!
Usain was born on 21st August 1986, in Jamaica, to parents Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt.
He grew up with his brother and sister, and adored playing football and cricket.
He competed in his first race whilst at primary school, but sprinting wasn’t his first love.
Bolt has often said that if he hadn’t have become a sprinter, he would have loved to have
been a fast bowler, having been inspired by Waqar Younis, a former international cricket
player.
Whilst at high school, Usain focused on sprinting and won his first silver medal in the
2001 High School Championships. His talent caught the eye of former Jamaican Olympic
sprinter Pablo McNeil, who went on to become his coach. Pablo would sometimes get
frustrated with Bolt as he didn’t always take his training seriously and enjoyed playing
practical jokes.
The 2001 World Youth Championships was Usain’s first appearance on the world stage. He
didn’t win any medals, but he did set a new personal best in the 200m race. The Jamaican
Prime Minister recognised Bolt’s talent and arranged for him to move to Kingston to train
with the Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association.
The World Junior Championships came next for Usain and it was here that he became
the youngest World Junior gold medallist. He continued to win medals in 2003, when he
competed at the World Youth Championships.
Photo courtesy of drcliffordchoi (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution
Page 1 of 2 visit twinkl.com
In 2004, Usain became the first junior sprinter to run 200m in under 20 seconds. With
this fantastic time, he turned professional and was chosen to compete in the Jamaican
Olympic team. He went to the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 but a recurring leg
injury ruled him out of winning any medals. He received offers to go and train in America
but Bolt wanted to stay true to his roots and despite the basic facilities available to
him, remained in Jamaica. For some time, injuries thwarted him, but he came back even
stronger.
As the years passed by, Bolt took his sport more seriously and began to train harder to win
events. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he broke more world records,
winning gold in the 100m, 200m and relay. This was followed by
the World Championships in Berlin where he improved his times,
running the 100m race in 9.58 seconds and the 200m in 19.19
seconds.
Bolt competed in the 100m, 200m and relay events at the
London 2012 Olympic Games, where he won three golds once
again. This made him the first person to win all three events at
consecutive Olympic Games. Following his performance in London,
a fellow competitor said, ‘There’s no doubt he’s the greatest sprinter of
all time.’
Bolt amazed everyone yet again during the 2016 Rio Olympics, by claiming not only gold
in all three races (100m, 200m and relay) but also the title the ‘triple-triple’ meaning he
had won gold in 3 sprinting races in 3 consecutive Olympic Games. However this amazing
achievement didn’t last long as in 2017, Bolt and his team mates were stripped of the
gold medals from the 100m relay in the Beijing Games due to one of his teammates being
disqualified for taking a banned substance.
In 2017, at the World Athletics Championships, Bolt’s winning streak was over as he
was beaten by just 0.03 seconds putting him in 3rd place for the first time in 10 years.
And to make things worse, whilst taking part in another race at the Championships, Bolt
collapsed on the track with a hamstring injury and had to be helped across the finish line
by his teammates. This was Bolt’s final ever race.
Olympic Games Event Medals
2008 Beijing 100m, 200m, relay Gold
2012 London 100m, 200m, relay Gold
2016 Rio De Janeiro 100m, 200m, relay Gold
Page 2 of 2 visit twinkl.com
Usain Bolt
Questions
1. When and where was Usain born?
2. By what age had Bolt become the fastest 100m runner at this school?
3. Who is he inspired by?
4. Why did Pablo McNeil get frustrated with Bolt?
5. Why did Usain move to Kingston?
6. How do you think Bolt felt when he was chosen to represent his country in the Olympic
Games?
7. Why do you think Usain reached a point in his life where he decided to take his sport more
seriously and train harder?
Page 1 of 2 visit twinkl.com
Usain Bolt
8. Explain how Bolt has shown resilience in his professional career.
9. Why is Usain nicknamed ‘Lightning Bolt’?
10. Which do you think is Usain’s greatest achievement to date? Why?
Page 2 of 2 visit twinkl.com
Usain Bolt
THE END
visit twinkl.com
