The Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt continues to earn recognition years after his retirement, landing at number nine on Sports Bible’s compilation of the top 25 athletes who have competed since the turn of the millennium.
Born on August 21, 1986, Usain Bolt holds the distinction of being the fastest man in recorded history. His world records in the 100 meters (9.58 seconds) and 200 meters (19.19 seconds) remain untouched, along with his 4×100 meters relay mark of 36.84 seconds. The sprinter collected eight Olympic gold medals during his career, making him one of the most decorated track and field athletes in history.
What made Usain Bolt so great?
What sets Bolt apart is his unprecedented triple-triple achievement at the Olympic Games. He captured both the 100m and 200m titles at three straight Olympics—Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016—while also anchoring Jamaica to 4×100 relay victories at two of those championships. No other sprinter has matched this level of sustained excellence across multiple Games.
Bolt’s breakthrough moment came in Beijing, where he became the first athlete since the introduction of electronic timing to simultaneously hold both sprint world records. The following year, he improved his 100m time from 9.69 to 9.58 seconds at the World Championships in Berlin, setting a new standard that represented the largest single improvement in the electronic era.
His World Championships record is equally impressive. Between 2009 and 2015, Bolt claimed 11 global titles, sweeping the 100m, 200m, and 4×100m relay events at nearly every edition. His only setback came in 2011 when a false start eliminated him from the 100m final in Daegu. He holds the distinction of being the most successful male athlete in World Championships history and remains the first person to break both the 9.7 and 9.6-second barriers in the 100 meters.
The 200 meters proved to be his strongest event, where he earned three Olympic golds and four World Championship titles. His ability to maintain top speed through the curve made him nearly unbeatable at the distance.
Usain Bolt Outranks These Legendary Athletes on New List
Off the track, Usain Bolt’s personality transformed athletics into a global spectacle. His trademark “Lightning Bolt” pose became one of sport’s most recognizable celebrations. He received numerous honors throughout his career, including several IAAF World Athlete of the Year awards and four Laureus World Sportsman of the Year titles. The BBC named him Overseas Sports Personality of the Year three times, and TIME magazine included him on its 100 Most Influential People list in 2016.
Sports Bible placed soccer star Lionel Messi at the top of their rankings, with golfer Tiger Woods and American football quarterback Tom Brady rounding out the top three. Bolt’s ninth-place finish puts him ahead of fellow global stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Michael Phelps, LeBron James, Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Kobe Bryant, Rafael Nadal, Shaquille O’Neal, Shohei Ohtani, and Alexander Ovechkin.
The list recognizes achievements across multiple sports and countries. For track and field, Usain Bolt’s inclusion reinforces his status as the sport’s most transformative figure of the 21st century. His career, which concluded at the 2017 World Championships, redefined what athletes believed they could accomplish in sprinting.
Sports Bible’s Top 25
1. Lionel Messi
2. Tiger Woods
3. Tom Brady
4. Michael Phelps
5. LeBron James
6. Serena Williams
7. Simone Biles
8. Usain Bolt
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
10. Roger Federer
11. Novak Djokovic
12. Steph Curry
13. Kobe Bryant
14. Patrick Mahomes
15. Rafael Nadal
16. Albert Pujols
17. Katie Ledecky
18. Peyton Manning
19. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
20. Marta
21. Sidney Crosby
22. Diana Taurasi
23. Shaquille O’Neal
24. Shohei Ohtani
25. Alexander Ovechkin
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