Usain Bolt participates in a friendly trial match between the Central Coast Mariners and the Central Coast Select in Gosford, Australia, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018. Bolt, who holds the world records for the 100- and 200-meter sprints and is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist, is hoping to earn a contract with the Mariners for the 2018-19 season in Australia’s top-flight competition.
The crowd for Friday’s match was about four times bigger than the average home attendance the Mariners attracted last season. The Australian Associated Press reported that the exhibition game was broadcast in 60 countries.
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Australia was given a glimpse of what Usain Bolt had to offer on Friday night as the sprint superstar kicked off his hopeful football career with the Central Coast Mariners.
The Mariners are trialling the 32-year-old ahead of their 2018/19 A-League charge after he expressed a desire to chase his lifelong footballing dream.
They kicked off at Central Coast Stadium in front of nearly 10,000 fans against a team of local amateur players in Gosford, Central Coast Select.
The Mariners kicked off proceedings in style, booting three goals before the first 20 minutes with Bolt still on the bench. The first came from a sweet touch from Jack Clisby 26 seconds into the match before Mike McGlinchey followed up with a stunner set up by forward Connor Pain. Peter Kekeris put the third on the board after squeezing his way around the goalkeeper in the 14th minute.
Then the real damage started.
Mario Shabow made it 4-0 after Pain trumped the goalkeeper and passed it back to the former Wanderer to send it to the net.
But all eyes were on Bolt as the towering star watched and waited for a chance at hitting the turf. He applauded his teammates’ goals and was flanked by security as he strolled along the sideline.
Clisby put himself in hat-trick territory right before halftime, sinking a header in the 41st minute to make it 5-0.
After over an hour watching cameras film the Olympic king warm up and sit idly in his seat, fans were given a glimpse of what Bolt had to offer.
He came on in the 72nd minute, sparking a massive chant of “USAIN BOLT” from the crowd as fireworks were launched from Central Coast Stadium.
A botched first touch cracked a grin from the 32-year-old before he made a solid effort to header a cross into the goal.
The six foot five star showcased some handy footwork on the left flank and had a number of close scoring opportunities unfortunately go wide.
The Mariners eventually closed out a commanding 6-1 victory as a sweat-soaked Bolt walked off the field to speak to the media where he was bullish about his chances of winning a contract.
“It was good, the crowd gave me a good ovation and I appreciate that,” he said. “I wish I had more touches but I’m not fit yet so I’ve just got to put in the work and get up to speed. I’m looking forward to a great season.
“In four months’ time I’ll be fit. I’ll be getting a lot more time on the ball, I personally feel I will get a contract by then.
“I’ll be playing much more time, it’s just about working and taking my time.”
Mariners coach Mike Mulvey also acknowledged Bolt was still some way off peak fitness but has said he is prepared to give him 12 months to prove himself.
“I think the big fellow did OK,” Mulvey said. “He was on a hiding to nothing a little bit nervous, but I’m quite happy with him.’
The Jamaican initially took up a position on the left wing, but had no joy with his first touch, as the ball clipped the back of one of his colourful boots.
“Mike Mulvey said they were willing to give him 12 months. But they are going to have to be patient with him, because that was very apparent tonight.
“But if there is anyone who can do it, it’s the world’s fastest man.”
The last time Bolt played in a friendly match, he shared the pitch with Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Christian Vieri.
It was an exhibition match in Paris to mark the 20-year anniversary since France’s 1998 World Cup victory.
Bolt was a surprise addition to the All Star XI that took on Zidane, Henry and other members from the victorious Les Bleus squadwho had reunited to celebrate the milestone.
“There will definitely be nerves, it’s not like it’s a charity game anymore,” he said before his blockbuster debut.
“I expect to make mistakes but I also expect to go out there, make myself proud and to push myself.
“I know I’m not going to have a perfect game.”
MORE ON USAIN BOLT
Usain St Leo Bolt OJ CD (/ˈjuːseɪn/; born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican retired sprinter and world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay. His reign as Olympic Games champion in all of these events spans three Olympics. Due to his achievements and dominance in sprint competition, he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time.[10][11][12][13]
An eight-time Olympic gold medalist, Bolt won the 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games, although he lost the 2008 relay gold medal about nine years after due to a teammate’s doping disqualification. He gained worldwide fame for his double sprint victory in world record times at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which made him the first person to hold both records since fully automatic time became mandatory. Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016).
An eleven-time World Champion, he won consecutive World Championship 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 metres relay gold medals from 2009 to 2015, with the exception of a 100 m false start in 2011. He is the most successful athlete of the World Championships, was the first athlete to win four World Championship titles in the 200 m and is the joint-most successful in the 100 m with three titles.
Bolt improved upon his second 100 m world record of 9.69 with 9.58 seconds in 2009 – the biggest improvement since the start of electronic timing. He has twice broken the 200 metres world record, setting 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in 2009. He has helped Jamaica to three 4 × 100 metres relay world records, with the current record being 36.84 seconds set in 2012. Bolt’s most successful event is the 200 m, with three Olympic and four World titles. The 2008 Olympics was his international debut over 100 m; he had earlier won numerous 200 m medals (including 2007 World Championship silver) and holds the world under-20 and world under-18 records for the event.
His achievements as a sprinter have earned him the media nickname “Lightning Bolt”, and his awards include the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track & Field Athlete of the Year, and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (four times). Bolt retired after the 2017 World Championships, when he finished third in his last solo 100 m race, opted out of the 200m, and pulled up in the 4x100m relay final.
He is currently training for Australian football A-League club, the Central Coast Mariners as a left-winger.
