Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Usain Bolt, Jamaica, Athletics, Olympics, Cricket
Ryan Smart
Usain Bolt revealed that he was given a shock opportunity to return to competitive sprinting.
Bolt called time on his legendary career after the 2017 World Athletics Championships, having suffered from a series of injuries since the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The Jamaican won eight Olympic gold medals during his career, and still holds world records in the 100 metres (9.58 seconds) and 200 metres (19.19 seconds).
Bolt, now 39, has never been tempted to return to the track, except for an 800-metre exhibition race back in 2021.
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But he revealed to talkSPORT back in 2024 that, prior to that run, he had in fact been offered a contract by the now-CEO of Adidas to make a comeback.
"At the time, he was like, 'Listen, we'll give you a proper contract if you want to come back', he told presenter Andy Goldstein.
"I talked to my coach, my coach was like, 'Absolutely not'.
"It was like two years after I retired. But my coach told me, 'Listen, if you're going to retire, that's it. I'm not going to coach you again, this is it. There's no coming back after this'.
"So when I went to him, he was like, 'No, absolutely not'.
"I was like, 'You know what? I would do it'. Because when you go away from a sport, then you start missing it. So I'm like 'I think I might get into it again'.
"I went to [my coach] and he was like, 'Nah, shut it down real quick'."
Last week, Bolt jokingly indicated that he was 'ready' to compete at a fourth Olympic Games - in cricket.
T20 cricket will be added to the Olympic calendar for Los Angeles 2028, with the qualification process for both the men's and women's events yet to be finalised.
The West Indies team encompasses all of the cricket-playing countries in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, at professional levels,
but each country is represented individually on the Olympic stage.
Cricket West Indies confirmed in September 2025 that, as one part part of their proposal for the event, an 'internal qualifying tournament' would be held 'among its Olympic affiliated member countries [to] determine which country represents the West Indies', if the West Indies qualify.
Speaking to Esquire, Bolt said: "I am happily retired from professional sport. I haven't played cricket in a long time, but if they call, I will be ready!"
While an Olympic cricket appearance for the 39-year-old is clearly off the table, Bolt played cricket growing up in the Caribbean and once claimed he would have been a fast bowler if not for athletics taking priority.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist is close friends with legendary West Indies batter Chris Gayle, and he was once offered the opportunity to play in Australia's T20 Big Bash League while still an active sprinter.
Back in 2012, Australia's all-time leading wicket-taker Shane Warne asked Bolt whether he would consider playing for Melbourne Stars in that year's competition.
Bolt would have had to face fast bowling upwards of 90mph from the likes of Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, but told Channel Nine that he was seriously considering the offer - though he would ultimately have to turn it down.
"We will see if I get the time off," he said. "I will try. Twenty20, I love it ... If I get the chance, I will definitely try, because I know it's going to be a lot of fun.
"I don't know how good I am. I will probably have to get a lot of practice in."