Usain Bolt's Net Worth Runs at Top Speed
It’s usually difficult to predict which Olympic athletes will grab our collective attention and become household names. Sometimes it’s their talent; other times it’s their personalities. Occasionally it’s because they bring to the table a story we simply can’t forget. Usain Bolt has all three. Maybe that’s why he’s one of most recognized names in the world and one of the richest athletes of all time. Usain Bolt’s net worth is—
Well, we’ll get to that in a bit. Let’s briefly look at how he got there first.
Usain Bolt Beginnings
The aptly named “Bolt” was born in the island nation of Jamaica in 1986. As a young man, he was enamored by games like cricket and “football” (what we silly Americans insist on calling “soccer”) as well as completing as a runner. It didn’t take long for his coaches to notice, however, that the kid was fast. Like, not just fast – but FAST. By the time he was 14, he was being coached by Jamaican legend Pablo McNeil, who’d competed in both the 1964 and 1968 Olympics and made a respectable showing both times.
By the age of 15, Usain Bolt was placing well in high school championships. He then won the 200 meter dash at the 2002 World Junior Championships, which were held that year in Kingston, Jamaica. Bolt was the youngest world-junior gold medalist in history at that point. Needless to say, the eyes of the athletic world were on him by now, and expectations were high. Things were going to take a frustrating dip before he could begin fulfilling anyone’s dreams, however – including his own.
Usain retired from running in 2017 (he tried soccer for a while, but that didn’t seem to scratch the itch he’d hoped it would). He turned 35 in 2021 and seems to still be doing OK for himself. Bolt is in a long-term relationship with model Kasi Bennett, also from Jamaica, and they recently celebrated the birth of a daughter. They named her Olympia Lightning Bolt – because why not?
Usain Bolt’s net worth is estimated to be around $90 million in 2024. He makes $20 – $30 million a year from endorsements alone these days, so if that keeps up his net worth may need updating in a few more years. He still gets paid just to show up at track and field events, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not bad for shaking some hands, signing a few autographs, and smiling for the camera.
I mean, sure – I could do that. But I’m so busy with my, um… I have to wash my hair or something.
Everyone needs a hobby, and for a guy who loves speed, Usain Bolt’s hobby isn’t that surprising. He likes cars. Fast cars. Fancy cars, Expensive fast fancy cars. I shop for convenient cupholders; Bolt actually researches engine designs. He owns multiple makes and models and seems to genuinely enjoy them as machines and a sort of high art, as well as liking the part where you can drive them places and they make those nice sounds. He’s also co-founder of an electric vehicle company – Bolt Mobility. They make scooters, two-seaters, and who knows what else might be coming.
Bolt Knows His Own (Net) Worth
Usain Bolt can be a fun interview, and his presence on social media as the 21st century hits its third decade reflects some serious savvy about staying plugged in to the public and polishing that image from time to time. He’s never come across as particularly humble, however. Bolt is quick to tell reporters that he’s the best, the greatest, and that he’s done what he set out to do – prove to the world that he’s as good as Muhammad Ali or Pelé or the Spice Girls (that last one’s a social media joke… if you don’t get it, it just means you have more of a real life than some of the rest of us do).
Some of that is a Jamaican thing. Culturally, men from the island brag and talk a good game as part of good-natured rivalry and mutual self-motivation. Just like some Asian cultures prioritize a humility that seems a bit beyond the necessary to outspoken westerners, other societies have their own dynamics as well. Besides, would it somehow be better if he pretended he hadn’t shattered so many records or amazed so many people? Not sure a blush and an “aw, shucks” while he scuffs the dirt with one toe really fits the moment.
There’s also the reality that the few individuals in the world able to push themselves to overcome every obstacle and reach nearly every goal simply have to believe in themselves and their possibilities a bit more than the rest of us probably find, well… normal. In the same way that the ultra-rich (at least, the one’s who’ve actually earned their way there) have a commanding presence normal folks (like myself) find a tad off-putting, elite athletes, musicians, actors, doctors, or other artists or professionals have earned a little leeway when it comes to social graces.
I mean, if they “fit in” better with the rest of us, they’d be more like the rest of us, right? We certainly wouldn’t be writing or talking about them right now. No one at Goalry has yet suggested a piece about Herbert McElvy and his net worth of $143,227 if you count his retirement funds and pretend his mortgage is paid off (even though it’s not). You know why? Because it’s not that interesting. No offense to Herbert, but he’s too much like the rest of us to get his own article.
Also, I really hope there’s no one actually named Herbert McElvy who might be reading right now and feeling completely creeped out by being put on the spot like that. I just pulled the name from nowhere, friend – I have no idea what your worth. And I’m sure you’re a very nice person. Say hi to Julie for us.
Oops. I mean, um…
Bolt was chosen to help represent Jamaica at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, but his efforts were thwarted by repeated injuries. He continued to fight through the difficulties for several years, and at times it seemed like maybe his running career simply wasn’t meant to be. Usain was (and is) a stubborn fellow, however, and by the time the 2008 Olympics (in Beijing, China) rolled around, he was ready.
And healthy.
The 2012 and 2016 Olympics
Bolt kept going strong in subsequent years. In London 2012, he won three more gold medals. In Rio 2016, he won three more. That gave him a “triple-triple” – three gold medals at each of three consecutive Olympics. He lost that last one on a technicality, however. The Jamaican relay team had their 2016 gold medal revoked when one of the team tested positive for performance enhancing goodies. That’s still a no-no, despite how common many think it might be.
Bolt stayed busy between Olympics as well. It should go without saying that he trained relentlessly. Yes, he had a bizarre level of natural talent. Even that doesn’t win medals, however, without a work ethic foreign to all but a handful of elites. He also competed in various world competitions, winning enough medals and setting enough records that after a while it all kinda became a given.
That didn’t stop people from being very excited to see him run, however. And to be fair, even on TV, the man is a sight to see.
Usain Bolt at the 2008 Olympics
Bolt competed in both the 100 meter and 200 meter dash, and was part of the Jamaican 4-man relay team. He set new world records in both individual events as well as a new record as part of the relay. This put him in the same historic league as Carl Lewis, who’d won three sprinting events at the 1984 Olympics. Of course, Lewis hadn’t set new world records in all three the way Bolt did in 2008, so you might say Bolt didn’t so much catch Lewis as pass him.
Then again, Carl Lewis inspired that amazing Eddie Murphy impersonation (while being interviewed by Joe Piscopo). While many people try to imitate Usain Bolt – particularly his celebrations – to the best of my knowledge, none of them are Eddie Murphy at his peak. So maybe we’ll call this one a draw.
As if winning three events while setting three world records wasn’t enough, Usain Bolt drew even more chatter for how he won at least one of them – the 100 meter dash. Bolt visibly slows down just before crossing the finish line, already celebrating before the race is actually over. Plus, the cameras notice, one of his shoes was actually untied during the win. Social media was still in its infancy – MySpace was going strong, Facebook was an up-and-comer, and Twitter technically existed but only about eleven people were actually using it regularly. Even without hashtags, however, people were certainly talking about Usain. He offered the perfect mix of accomplishment, amazement, and a colorful personality, all while giving people just enough to criticize that they could certainly do so if they wished.
“Seriously, man – tie your shoe. And finish the race before you get all giddy about it.”
That’s their prerogative, of course. Usain Bolt’s net worth, however, suggests that he’s not too worried about many other folks’ opinions.
Take Care of Your Money With the Wealthry Store.
Conclusion
Don’t feel bad for Usain Bolt. He’s still doing OK, and he should have many good years ahead of him. But don’t feel bad for yourself, either. Whether your net worth is closer to $100,000 or $10, there’s no time like now to start taking more effective control of your personal finances, your credit score, and your debt. We live in strange times, to be sure, but that’s all the more reason to control the things we can control moving forward.
And, of course, if you have any questions along the way, or if we can help, just let us know. Also, I think your shoe might be untied.