Simulation shows what would happen if Usain Bolt chased thief through shopping centre using Olympics speed

A 3D simulation shows three different scenarios of what would happen if Usain Bolt chased a thief through a shopping centre in a fascinating insight.

At the peak of his powers, Bolt was a speed demon on the track and won an impressive eight Olympic gold medals during his legendary career.

He medalled in Beijing (2008), London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016), excelling in the 100m and 200m events.

The 38-year-old, however, recorded his best times - which are still world records - at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

He clocked a staggering time of 9.58 seconds in the 100m and registered a stunning time of 19.19 seconds in the 200m.

Bolt has put his feet up since calling time on his iconic sprint career, but still managed to receive a Guinness World Record for an event that doesn't exist.

But how would he fare as a security guard?

Well, YouTube channel MotionAthlete has put Bolt through a simulation, showing what would happen if he had to track down a thief through a busy shopping centre.

And they have delivered not one but three scenarios.

The first scenario pits Bolt against a thief who is 'completely inactive' and the last time he sprinted was when he was a kid.

Naturally, the robber was no match for Bolt, who took just 3.5 seconds to catch up with him.

The second scenario is against a thief who is 'used to running often' and plays many sports for fun.

Once again, Bolt tracks him down with a pursuit time of 4.4 seconds.

Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the 4x100m relay at the 2016 Olympics. Image: Getty

The last mission saw Bolt come up against a thief who plays for an amateur football team. He trains a couple of times a week and plays one match a week.

Despite the shoplifter's football background, the Jamaican needed just 5.49 seconds to halt him.

So, there you have it - Bolt would make a superb security guard judging by the 3D simulation.