{"id":15068,"date":"2018-03-02T03:02:42","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T09:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=15068"},"modified":"2018-03-02T03:02:42","modified_gmt":"2018-03-02T09:02:42","slug":"usain-bolt-signs-for-socceraid-charity-match-usain-bolt-to-play-first-official-match-as-a-footballer-at-old-trafford","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=15068","title":{"rendered":"Usain Bolt ‘Signs’ For Socceraid Charity Match, Usain Bolt To Play First Official Match As A Footballer At Old Trafford"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The world\u2019s fastest man Usain Bolt has “signed” for the Soccer aid charity match for Unicef that is set to take place at his boyhood club Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The match is scheduled to take place on June 10 at Old Trafford, four days before the World Cup kicks off in Russia.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bolt will feature in the Unicef match in June after he teased information that he had signed for a football club in a short clip on Twitter after previously stating that he had secured a trial with German side Borussia Dortmund.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mamelodi Sundowns hinted at the news that the Jamaican sprinter might have signed for the club after tweeting a picture of sprinter with the caption “Football will never be the same”<\/em> before the news was officially announced.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bolt was invited by head coach Pitso Mosimane to train with Masandawana during his first visit to South Africa in January.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Eight-time Olympic gold medalist and now retired sprinter was in South Africa as part of Athletics South Africa’s (ASA) plan to bring greater awareness to the sport.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite being the fastest man to grace the 100m and 200m distances, Bolt has always had a close affinity with soccer and openly stated his ambition to play for Manchester United.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"A short 10 second video of Bolt himself stating that the announcement will happen has confirmed his desire to make the switch from track to field.“I’ve just signed for a football team! Find out for who it is one this Tuesday, February 27,”<\/em> Bolt said in the video released on Twitter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Unicef supported initiative\u00a0 – which has raised over $30million in the last decade – raises money for underprivileged children across the world, providing them with food, vaccines and clean water.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Previous editions of the charity match have featured the likes of Hollywood stars Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson, as well as former greats Zinedine Zidane and Diego Maradona.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"“It is my dream to make it as a professional footballer, so to be able to step out onto the pitch at Old Trafford in June, and play against some of football\u2019s biggest legends is going to be remarkable,” Bolt told Manchester United’s official website.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I enjoy the thrill of competition in front of a crowd, so Robbie and his England team better watch out as I won\u2019t be going easy on them!<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve got a pretty special celebration planned for when I score, by the way. My team is going to be unbeatable \u2013 and Soccer Aid for Unicef is counting on your support to make a difference to thousands of children around the world. Come and join in the fun!”<\/strong><\/p>\n

MORE ON THE MAN NAMED “BOLT”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Usain St Leo Bolt,\u00a0@usainbolt ,\u00a0is a retired Jamaican sprinter<\/a>. He is the first person to hold both the 100 metres<\/a> and 200 metres<\/a> world records<\/a> since fully automatic time<\/a> became mandatory. He also holds the world record as a part of the 4 \u00d7 100 metres relay<\/a>. He is the reigning Olympic champion in these three events. Due to his dominance and achievements in sprint competition, he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time.<\/sup><\/sup><\/sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"An eight-time Olympic gold medalist<\/a>, Bolt won the 100\u00a0m, 200\u00a0m and 4 \u00d7 100 m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games, although he subsequently forfeited one of the gold medals (as well as the world record set therein) nine years after the fact due to a teammate’s disqualification for doping offences. He gained worldwide popularity for his double sprint victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics<\/a> in world record times. Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m<\/a> and 200 m<\/a> titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016); this is a feat referred to as the “triple double” that will be very difficult for anyone to duplicate.<\/strong><\/p>\n

An eleven-time World Champion<\/a>, he won consecutive World Championship 100\u00a0m<\/a>, 200\u00a0m<\/a> and 4 \u00d7 100 metres relay<\/a> gold medals from 2009 to 2015, with the exception of a 100\u00a0m false start<\/a> in 2011. He is the most successful athlete<\/a> of the World Championships and was the first athlete to win three titles in both the 100\u00a0m and 200\u00a0m at the competition.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Bolt improved upon his second 100\u00a0m world record<\/a> of 9.69 with 9.58 seconds in 2009 \u2013 the biggest improvement since the start of electronic timing. He has twice broken the 200 metres world record<\/a>, setting 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in 2009. He has helped Jamaica to three 4 \u00d7 100 metres relay world records<\/a>, 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\u00a0m; he had earlier won numerous 200\u00a0m medals (including 2007 World Championship<\/a> silver) and holds the world under-20<\/a> and world under-18 records<\/a> for the event.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His achievements as a sprinter have earned him the media nickname “Lightning Bolt”, and his awards include the\u00a0IAAF World Athlete of the Year<\/a>, Track & Field Athlete of the Year<\/a>, and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year<\/a> (four times). Bolt retired after the 2017 World Championships<\/a>, when he finished third in his last solo 100m race.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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ABOVE: Bolt and Sally Pearson<\/a> with their IAAF Athlete of the Year awards in Monaco<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n