Athletics · Jamaica · 1986–
Usain Bolt Life & Career Timeline
World records, eight Olympic golds and sprinting reimagined as spectacle.
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19861992199820042010201620222026
UBUsain BoltAthletics · Jamaica
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About Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt combined unprecedented speed with magnetic showmanship, setting the 100m and 200m world records and winning eight Olympic titles.
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Usain Bolt biography
Usain Bolt timeline: key events
Explore 18 documented Moments in chronological order. Read the dates, locations and source references below. Where available, additional context explains why a milestone matters.
Born in Sherwood Content
Usain St Leo Bolt grew up playing cricket and football before sprinting became his focus.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgFirst international medal
At fifteen, Bolt won 200m silver at the World U18 Championships.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgWorld junior champion at home
Bolt won the 200m before a home crowd, becoming the youngest world junior champion in the event.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgFirst junior under 20 seconds
His 19.93 made him the first junior athlete to break twenty seconds for 200m.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgFirst senior global medal
Bolt took 200m silver at the World Championships and added relay silver.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgFirst 100m world record
In only his fifth senior 100m race, Bolt ran 9.72 to break the world record.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgOlympic 100m gold and record
Bolt won in 9.69 despite celebrating before the line.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgOlympic 200m world record
He ran 19.30 to complete an unprecedented sprint double with two world records.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgThe 9.58 world record
Bolt lowered the 100m record by eleven hundredths, the largest electronic-era improvement.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgThe 19.19 world record
Four days later he lowered his own 200m mark to 19.19.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgFalse start in Daegu
Bolt was disqualified from the world 100m final but returned to win the 200m and relay.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgOlympic champion again
A 9.63 Olympic record made Bolt the second man to retain the 100m title.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgThe double triple
Gold in 100m, 200m and 4x100m repeated his Beijing sweep.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgThree golds in Moscow
Bolt won 100m, 200m and relay to become one of the championships’ defining athletes.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgDefends the sprint treble
He defeated Justin Gatlin and again swept the 100m, 200m and relay titles.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgThree straight Olympic 100m titles
Bolt became the first man to win the Olympic 100m at three consecutive Games.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgA third Olympic sprint sweep
Victories in the 200m and relay completed a third Olympic sprint sweep; one relay medal was later removed after a teammate’s doping case.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgFinal championship race
Bolt pulled up injured in the 4x100m final, closing his elite career on the same London track where he had triumphed.
Connected: Athletics
Source: worldathletics.orgExplore related timelines
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This educational timeline is not endorsed by or affiliated with Usain Bolt or their representatives. Event text is original editorial copy based on the linked sources.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · Licence shown on source file
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Quick answers
About the Usain Bolt timeline
Who is Usain Bolt?
Usain Bolt combined unprecedented speed with magnetic showmanship, setting the 100m and 200m world records and winning eight Olympic titles.
How many moments are included?
This public timeline currently contains 18 sourced moments spanning 1986–.
Who maintains this timeline?
This public timeline is created and maintained by Memmie Editorial Team. Schools, clubs and cultural organisations can apply to become timeline partners.
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