Usain Bolt: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know

Usain Bolt Winner

Usain Bolt is an international sports phenomenon. He recently cemented his place as the greatest star in the history of track and field with a gold medal in the men’s 100m and a gold medal in the men’s 200m. There were some people who thought he might stumble this time around after a couple of stumbles over the past year and be usurped by Yohan Blake. But he won and he won in a dynamic fashion. He’s one of the most popular and electrifying athletes in all of sports, as proved by Twitter’s reaction to his victories.

People are going to be talking about him a lot in the next few days. If you want to be in the loop, these are the things you need to know:

1. His Nickname is Lightning Bolt

Usain Lightning Bolt

A bit obvious. A bit on the nose, but all in all not bad. The nickname actually started during the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Before his first world record breaking run in New York City, there was a lightning storm leading the media to bestow Bolt with the aforementioned moniker.

2. Usain Bolt Has His Own Mobile App

usain bolt gaming app

Yes, it’s true. Bolt partnered with a company called RockLive to make mobile gaming app centered all around him. It’s creatively named “Bolt!” It’s the number one app in Jamaica and the number two free app in the UK.

3. Bolt Wants to Play for Manchester United

Bolt has stated that his dream post-Olympics career is to play for Manchester United. One of that team’s players, Rio Ferdinand, has offered to get Bolt a trial. Most people chuckle about this, but Bolt claims he’s dead serious.

If Alex Ferguson called me up and said: ‘OK let’s do this, come and have a trial,’ it would be impossible for me to say no. I would not take up the challenge if I didn’t think I was good enough. I am a very accomplished player and know I could make a difference.

Sir Alex Ferguson is Manchester United’s manager.

4. Bolt’s Middle Name is St. Leo

Usain Bolt’s full name is Usain St. Leo Bolt. St. Leo is kind of an unusual middle name, but still completely awesome. Seriously, with the last name Bolt and middle name St. Leo, which might as well be Saint Lion (awesome!), no wonder he turned out incredible.

5. Usain Bolt has A LOT of Worldwide Firsts

Usain Bolt World Record

He was the first and only junior athlete to run a sub-20-second 200m. He was the first person to hold world records in the 100m and 200m simultaneously. He’s the first person to repeat gold medal victories in the 200m at successive Olympics.

6. He Earns $20 Million a Year

Usain Bolt Rich

According to Forbes, Usain Bolt has made $20.3 million over the past year in prize money, bonuses, appearance fees, and endorsements. That amount made him the 63rd highest paid athlete in the world.

Companies Usain Bolt has an endorsement deal with: Gatorade, Hublot, Virgin Media, Visa, Soul Electronics, Nissan Motors, and his biggest sponsor who has been with him the longest, Puma.

He’s the highest-paid athlete in the history of track and field.

7. He Ate Chicken Nuggets Before His Record-Breaking 100m Run at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Usain Bolt set a world record for the 100m in the men’s final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. So, what did he eat before pulling off that athletic feat? Was it some healthy meal or snack like a protein shake or something? Nope. It was chicken nuggets. Bolt explains his morning thusly:

[I] didn’t have breakfast, woke up at 11, sat around watching TV, then had some chicken nuggets, slept for 2 hours…then went back and got some more nuggets!

He had chicken nuggets because he was afraid to eat anything else in China.

Speaking of that 2008 race…

8. He Ran the 100m Final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with His Shoes Untied

Usain Bolt Shoelaces Untied

That very same 100m race where he set the world record on a stomach full of chicken nuggets, he ran into a bad wind with his shoes untied the entire time. He not only was faster than everyone he was competing against with his shoes untied, he was faster than anyone to ever run the 100m with his shoes untied.

People call him conceited, but it’s not conceited if you live up to it.

9) He Has His Own Headphone Line

usain bolt soul headphones

He signed a deal with Soul Electronics to create his own headphone line. Pretty cool. He also has his own clothing line and his own restaurant that he owns and operated in Jamaica

10) His Victory Stance is Famous

To Di World Pose

His victory stance is basically the Tebowing of the Olympics. It even has its own name. It’s called the “To Di World” pose.