Usain Bolt is planning to retire from the sport after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
The current world record holder in both the 100 and 200 metres, the Jamaican has an exit strategy in place that will cement him as a true sporting legend.
Bolt hopes to win gold in Rio, set another 200 metres world record next year, and take a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
And to top it all off, he will celebrate the final day of his sporting career also turning 30. The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio are scheduled to run until August 21, the sprinter’s birthday.
When revealing his plans, Bolt said: "I think it will be a good
time to retire, on top and just been dominating for so long."
After winning another three gold medals at the world championships in Moscow, Bolt will run his final race this season in the 100 metres at Friday’s Van Damme Memorial.
"If I want to be among the greats of (Muhammad) Ali and Pele and all these guys I have to continue dominating until I retire," Bolt added.
With six Olympic goal medals and eight in World Championships, there isn’t much danger of the 27-year-old being forgotten.
Bolt took home three gold medals – in the 100 metres, 200 metres and the 4×100 metres – during the recent week in Moscow.
Although plagued by slow starts to races, the world’s best ever sprinter has a knack of catching up and pulling clear of the field, easing up before the finish line.
The disqualification during the final of the 100 metres in Daegu two years ago is the sprinter’s only failure to date.
Bolt’s trademark celebration has been synonymous with athletics for the last five years.
Only three athletes – including Carl Lewis – have more Olympic medals than the current phenomenon.
If Bolt takes three golds in Rio, he will equal the best ever athletic record at an Olympic Games.
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