Hon Usain Bolt

Fee Band


Arguably one of the greatest sportsmen of his day, Usain Bolt is the first person ever to win back-to-back Olympic golds at 100m, 200m and 4x100m. A popular and flamboyant character, Usain takes questions on everything from the key to his success to what it’s like to be the fastest man on the planet.


Biography

Unquestionably one of the greatest and most famous sportsmen of the modern era, Usain Bolt is a six time gold medalist and the first person ever to win back-to-back Olympic golds at 100m, 200m and 4x100m.

A sports obsessive from a young age growing up in Jamaica, Usain showed promise early and by the age of 12 he was his school’s fastest runner over 100m. Despite focusing on cricket and football, the young Usain was spotted and then coached by former Olympic sprinter Pablo McNeil and NFL player Dwayne Jarrett and encouraged to follow athletics. Early success over 400m and 200m came in regional competitions and he went on to become one of a select group to be World Champions at youth, junior, and senior levels. He turned professional at the age of 18 becoming the first junior sprinter to run 200m in under 20 seconds.

Usain’s first Olympic experience was at Athens in 2004 but injury kept him from progressing beyond the heats. Clearly still a promising prospect American colleges offered him lucrative scholarships but he refused all offers preferring to remain at home in Jamaica with the environment and facilities that had served him well so far. Injuries plagued the seasons to follow and titles and records proved elusive until the 2007 World Championships where he took silver behind US sprinter Tyson Gay. An older, wiser Bolt became increasingly focused on the 100m and in a shock performance a year later, in only his fifth senior race over the distance, he took the world record and became the fastest man on Earth.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Usain announced he would compete in both 100m and 200m competitions. After comfortable wins on the way to the final, he shattered his own world record in the 100m final, claiming gold and providing one of the great images of any games as he strode casually over the finish line. He wasn’t finished though and in the 200m final Usain not only won, but broke Michael Johnson’s world record.

Beijing saw Usain become a star both on and off the track. Few athletes have commanded the attention he did. Charismatic, articulate and naturally media friendly, he became internationally famous almost overnight and his ‘Lightning Bolt’ pose was copied world wide.

The weight of expectation didn’t appear to weigh heavy on the Bolt shoulders although his run up to London 2012 did not go smoothly with a false start and disqualification at the World Championships a second place in the Jamaican national trials. However, the Olympic stage proved his natural home, courting the media, playing up to the attention and stealing the spotlight from almost all comers. He provided thrilling entertainment in both the 100m and 200m finals and played his part in a world record 4x100m final.

Despite what many suggest is ‘showboating’ Usain has always remained gracious and generous to his fellow Jamaican athletes and other competitors and has become a popular icon of intentional sport.

Contact

We’re on hand to help you find the perfect speaker, presenter or performer for your events. Call or email our London office and use our agents' experience to expertly match you with the right person for your programme!


From time to time we send out emails announcing new speakers and free tickets to our showcase events including Speakers Breakfasts and the JLA Real Variety Show. Please tick the box below if you would like to receive these emails.

Don't miss anything!

We will never share the data you submit here with a third party. Information is stored in a database in order to service your enquiry, but is deleted once it is no longer required. You may request to have this data removed at any time.

JLA Presents

Risk Speakers Breakfast event image.
Event - 17/09/2024 - 09:00

Speakers Breakfast

Navigating Risk and Chaos – Strategies For Coping With An Uncertain World.

Speakers
Clive Myrie, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Rt Hon Lord Parker of Minsmere, and Robin Niblett

On Tuesday 17th September we had the pleasure of hearing from a remarkable panel of speakers, who shared their expertise on the challenges of managing Risk in a chaotic world.

The panel featured esteemed speakers, Dr. Sabrina Cohen-Hatton KFSM (Firefigter and Neuroscience researcher), Lord Parker of Minsmere (Andrew Parker, Former Director General of MI5), and Sir Robin Niblett (Former Director and Chief Executive of Chatham House). The event was hosted superbly by Mastermind and BBC News presenter Clive Myrie.

Over the hour, our panellists explored Risk on multiple levels, from global affairs to business environments and personal everyday challenges. They provided valuable insights into how we can better manage and mitigate Risk in today’s unpredictable world.

 

Location

87 Barts Close, 87 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7EB

WATCH
AI Speakers Breakfast event image.
Event - 30/04/2024 - 09:00:00

Speakers Breakfast

Understanding AI Now

Speakers
Priya Lakhani and Anne-Marie Imafidon

We were joined at 87 Barts Close by three brilliant speakers on a panel that delved into the complex world of Artificial Intelligence. Over the hour our panellists de-mystified AI, speaking about AI’s immense promise for enhancing our lives, alongside the apprehension it has generated regarding job security, privacy infringement, and ethical considerations.

Location

87 Barts Close, 87 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7EB

WATCH