Usain Bolt tried to break world record in unusual athletics event that isn't at the Olympics but failed

Despite retiring in 2017, Usain Bolt still holds world records in the 100m and 200m. But there was one event in which he was never able to beat the world's best time.

Across a 14-year professional career, the Jamaican superstar won eight Olympic gold medal and 11 World Championship golds.

Bolt was so dominant throughout his time in the sport that when he finished third in his final-ever individual race – the 2017 World Championship 100m final in London – the stunned crowd booed the winner.

But for all his many accomplishments there was one record Bolt was never able to capture. And was in an unusual event that is not included in the Olympics.

Usain Bolt is widely considered to be one of the greatest athletes of all time. (Image: Getty)

The 300m distance encompassed three quarters of the running track, made up of two straights and one bend.

In 2010, Bolt took a stab at the rarely run race at the IAAF World Challenge in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

At the time, US Olympic legend Michael Johnson held the world record, with a time of 30.85 seconds, which he set in Pretoria, South Africa in 2000.

But Bolt finished just shy of Johnson's mark, with a finish time of 30.97.

"I'm not in the shape I was last year or the year before," he said after running the 300m. "If I was in a good shape I think I would get a record.

"The problem was I went too hard in the first 200m. The last 100m were too tough. This distance is a little different than 200m, you can't compare it."

Since then, Johnson's record had been broken twice.

South African Olympic 400m gold medalist Wayde van Niekerk ran 30.81 in 2017.

And reigning 200m Olympic champion Letslie Tebogo smashed the world record with a time of 30.69 last year.

Speaking on the track afterwards, the 21-year-old from Botswana thanked his friend Van Niekerk.

"He's a brother to me," he said. "We share the good vibes. There's no bad energy between us.

"Thank you for always pushing me and telling me not to belittle myself. Thank you so much, mate."