Usain Bolt to retire after 2017 Worlds Championships in London

  • Published
Usain BoltImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Bolt's last major international appearance was at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt says he will retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships in London.

The 28-year-old six-time Olympic gold medallist also says that he will just focus on the 100m in 2017.

Bolt had suggested that the Rio Games in 2016 would be his last major championship but he now appears to have changed his mind to make a return to London.

"That was the initial plan [to sign off after Rio]," he told the Daily Mail., external

"But my sponsor has asked me to go on for another year; to 2017 and London.

Usain Bolt's honours

Six Olympic gold medals: 100m, 200m & 4x100m - Beijing 2008; 100m, 200m & 4x100m - London 2012

Eight World Championship gold medals: 100, 200m & 4x100m - Berlin 2009; 200m & 4x100m - Daegu 2011; 100, 200m & 4x100m - Moscow 2013

One Commonwealth Games gold medal: 4x100m - Glasgow 2014

World records: 9.58secs (100m); 19.19secs (200m)

"But I'll be doing one event, the 100. I've already discussed it with my coach. I can concentrate on that, and on retiring on a winning note."

Bolt's main focus for 2015 will be the World Championships in Beijing from 22-30 August where he will be looking to add to his haul of eight world golds and the 28-year-old also has one eye on breaking his own 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, set in Berlin in 2009.

"If everything goes well this season...in my life anything is possible. If I can get myself in good shape, it should be wonderful this season," he added.

"I live for competition. I thrive on competition. I live to compete against the best."

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.