Usain Bolt (born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican sprinter.[1] He is the reigning Olympic champion over 100 metres and 200 metres, the first man to achieve this since Carl Lewis in 1984. He also holds both world and Olympic 100 metres records with a time of 9.69 seconds and world and Olympic records over 200m (19.30 sec). Bolt is also the world junior record holder in the 200 metres (19.93 seconds). His name and achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname "Lightning Bolt".[3]

As a child, Bolt first became interested in sport through cricket but his speed meant his coaches urged him to focus on track and field instead. By 2001 Bolt had won silver medals in high school and regional competitions in the 200 and 400 metres sprints. He made his first impact on the world stage at the 2002 World Junior Championships, winning gold in the 200 metres and an additional two silver medals as part of Jamaica`s relay team. This made him the youngest gold medallist in the history of the competition. Bolt gained more medals in the 200 metres in 2003 with record breaking performances in both the World Youth Championships and the Jamaican High School Championships.

He became the first junior sprinter to run the 200 metres in under 20 seconds, breaking Roy Martin`s world junior record by two tenths of a second with 19.93 seconds in 2004. Injuries caused him to miss much of the 2004 and 2005 track and field seasons. The 2006 Grand Prix in Lausanne saw a return to form with a new personal best of 19.88 seconds. Bolt gained a silver and three bronze medals in international competitions that year. Bolt improved in the 2007 season, beating Don Quarrie`s 200 metres national record with a run of 19.75 seconds and winning gold in his 100 metres debut with 10.03 metres. He won silver at the 2007 Osaka World Championships, second to track rival Tyson Gay.

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