What next for legendary Bolt after farewell race?

A billboard celebrating Jamaican sprints legend Usain Bolt at the Wesfield Shopping Mall in East London. PHOTO | ELIAS MAKORI |

What you need to know:

  • I don’t know where my career will go or what I’ll do but I look forward to it, says sprints king.
  • He runs his final race on the track Saturday with Jamaica’s 4x100 metres relay team.

IN LONDON

Usain Bolt is used to a jet-setting life on the fast lane. Six-figure appearance fees at track competitions, handsome pay cheques for promotional appearances and even cameos on the deck as a DJ at random clubs.

All this on the back of his success on the track, with the world’s fastest man earning himself the reputation of one of the greatest sportsmen that ever lived, ranking alongside Muhammad Ali and Pele. A legend.

This Saturday, Bolt runs his final race on the track, most probably anchoring Jamaica’s 4x100 metres relay team at the World Championships here, but most certainly in the quartet.

If the standing ovation and huge cheers that greeted his last individual race, the 100m final Saturday evening, was memorable, then the Olympic Stadium’s roof will be blown off this Saturday after he crosses the finish line for the last time in his stellar career. Never mind he settled for bronze on Saturday behind reformed doper Justin Gatlin and collegiate star Christian Coleman.

A most sought-after brand ambassador of German shoe company Puma, Bolt has single-handedly transformed track and field, drawing the numbers through the turnstiles, making single women weep in admiration and grown men cry in excitement.

But then what happens from next week, when he will have no race to train for, no telephone calls or workout schedules from his coach Glen Mills, and no pre-arranged first class tickets to competitions from his manager Ricky Simms?

Back to playing cricket, perhaps, or spending more time with your (adopted) cheetah in Kenya? I asked him. Leaning forward slightly and laughing, Bolt said he has exciting things lined up.

“I’m excited to just live normal, just to get up and know that I have no training and, for once, I can just do what I want,” he said.

“I’m gonna miss the sport for sure, but I get a chance to live now and do what I want and travel when I want. I’m excited about that.

“I don’t know where my career will go or what I’ll do but I look forward to it and I know (because of) the person I am, it’s gonna be something exciting and I will do that to my best.”

Simms, who also manages Great Britain’s distance running great Mo Farah, along with Kenya’s track sensations Vivian Cheruiyot and Hellen Obiri, has kept his cards close to his chest regarding Bolt’s next move.

Perhaps after Saturday’s relays, Bolt and Simms might unleash the way forward for the sprints legend who leaves a huge gap in a sport facing a major threat from doping, and dying to get a replacement star to keep pushing the much needed fan base through the turnstiles.