Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who still holds the world records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100-meter relay, turns 40 on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Avisen Danmark, citing the news agency Ritzau, reports that the athletics legend marks the milestone with 19 gold medals to his name. The Dane-published profile notes that Bolt now works as a music producer.
Bolt set his first world record at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, running 100 meters in 9.58 seconds. At the same championships he ran 200 meters in 19.19 seconds. His third record came at the 2012 Olympics in London, where Jamaica’s 4×100-meter relay team clocked 36.84 seconds.
Sky TG24 reports that Bolt, who was born in Sherwood Content, Jamaica, remains the holder of all three of those records. He won three gold medals at each of the Olympic Games in Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro. Avisen Danmark notes he was the first athlete to complete that triple.
One of those medals was returned in 2017, after the International Olympic Committee disqualified Jamaica’s Beijing relay team following a positive doping test from one of Bolt’s teammates. Charter97, citing the Ukrainian outlet nv.ua, counts eight Olympic golds and 11 world titles for Bolt. Bolt said at the time, according to AFP, that returning the medal was not a problem for him.
From spikes to studio
In 2021 Bolt released his debut album, “Country Yutes”, as a producer, mixing dancehall and reggaeton drawn from his Jamaican background. He told The Daily Beast that his team spends all its time on music and is aiming for platinum sales and a Grammy, per Avisen Danmark.
An earlier plan to become a professional soccer player was officially abandoned in 2019, after trial sessions with several clubs. SIC Notícias, citing The Guardian, reported that Bolt said in September 2025 that he no longer runs because of an injury and gets out of breath climbing stairs. The Portuguese outlet linked that to an Achilles tendon rupture during a charity soccer match in the summer of 2024.
In the same period, World Athletics presented Bolt as its first “Ultimate Legend”. The federation’s own material describes the role as an ambassadorship focused on promoting the sport and the new World Athletics Ultimate Championship, scheduled for September 11 to 13, 2026, in Budapest.
The Spanish daily Heraldo framed the birthday as Bolt having been “turned into legend”, recalling his origins in Sherwood Content and his retirement after the 2017 World Championships in London. Bolt lives with his partner, Kasi Bennett, and the couple has three children. Pulse Sports reported in January 2026 that he described his next phase as centered on family, friends, work and giving back.
