Usain Bolt’s mission to become a professional footballer appears to have hit the skids, with the former Jamaican sprinter saying his “sports life is over”.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt made the declaration due to frustration in his bid to begin a post-athletics career in football. The star athlete walked out on his two-month trial with A-League strugglers Central Coast last year and admitted not everything about his pursuit for a professional contract was well thought out.
“I don’t want to say it wasn’t dealt with properly, but I think we went about it, not the way we should,” he said.
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Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt (C), playing for A-League football club Central Coast Mariners, shoots on goal against Macarthur South West United in his first competitive start for the club in Sydney on October 12, 2018. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP) / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE
“It was a good experience. I really enjoyed just being in a team and it was different from track and field and it was fun while it lasted.” He also added: “You live and you learn. It was a good experience I really enjoyed just being in a team.”
The Olympian was unable to agree a contract with the Mariners but he did manage to score two goals in a trial match against a Macarthur South West United side before his time in Australia came to an end.
Bolt has also trained with Norwegian team Stromsgodset and German giants Borussia Dortmund in his quest to become a professional footballer and reportedly rejected a two-year contract offer from Maltese club Valletta.
Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2017, has said his focus now lies with his various commercial endeavours.
“I’m now moving into different businesses, I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I’m just dabbling in everything and trying to be a business man now.”
