The transition from athlete to another profession can be tough and overwhelming. Some lucky athletes will be able to find a niche in coaching or commentator roles. Others find the next step to be quite a bit more difficult, and they may not have a clear sense for what they would like to do in the future. Enter Usain Bolt, the Olympic Gold Medalist sprinter from Jamaica, who just so happens to be nearing the end of his major running career. And looking to what is next, he says he doesn't know what the future holds, but he certainly wouldn't be opposed to an acting career. According to Usain Bolt,
It's going to be hard. Track and field is everything. I've been doing it since I was 10 years old... You never know. I might go into acting and do some action movies.
As someone who is incredibly athletic, action may be the way to go. Provided he also has a modicum of acting talent, Usain Bolt could be the next Dwayne Johnson or Lou Ferrigno. And even if he doesn't achieve such great heights, he could pop in for an acting role or two, like LeBron James did during Trainwreck and may potentially do again for Space Jam 2. It's not the most unlikely scenario. Usain Bolt has previously stated he would love to cameo in DC's upcoming Flash movie, and while Flash hasn't come together yet, a cameo of that nature would be a good fit.
Of course, Usain Bolt isn't guaranteed to be the next action movie star, and not simply because he may not have any sort of acting ability whatsoever. He also joked around, telling the Evening Standard that if Manchester United came calling, he'd nab that gig in a heartbeat.
Football. I'm waiting for Mourinho's call! Maybe on the final day.
Usain Bolt has been a major sprinter for a long time, and he'll likely continue to run in the future, but his last race as a professional athlete is expected to come on Saturday, August 12. Usain Bolt is planning to run both the 100m and the 4X100m at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London. It's also notable that this should leave the field wide open for different sprinters to make a big splash during the 2020 Summer Olympics. After Bolt finishes his run as a pro, it's hard to tell what his next move will be, but especially if the movie business comes calling, we will keep you updated.
And hey, if his new acting career doesn't work out, the sprinter has already made plenty of money endorsing products such as Gatorade, Puma and more during his lengthy sprinting career. (Bolt medaled at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics.) And by plenty of money, we mean like $33 million a year. So, expect Usain Bolt to be completely fine after retirement, and ready to take on any new challenges that await.
