Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has been officially named a Guinness World Records Icon in celebration of the organization’s 70th anniversary.
Bolt, widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time, holds several jaw-dropping records — most famously, the fastest 100 metres (male) ever run, clocking an astonishing 9.58 seconds.
“I’m honoured to be a part of the greats, and always happy to be recognized by the Guinness World Records book. For years I’ve been in there and I’ve finally got all the certificates, which are going to look really good in my house,” Bolt said.
Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday personally met with Bolt to present him with the ICON certificate and quiz him on some of his achievements. Among his many accolades, Bolt still holds the world records for the 150 metres (14.35 seconds) and 200 metres (19.19 seconds), both set in 2009 and still unbeaten.
Throughout his career, Bolt dominated the track, becoming the only athlete in history to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 100 metres.
After the quiz, Glenday surprised Bolt with 15 official Guinness World Records certificates, each representing a title he’d earned over the years.
“Usain Bolt, for me, is the epitome of a Guinness World Records ICON,” Glenday said. “The great joy of this job is meeting these fundamental people – the world’s tallest and shortest, this amazing array of people. And the shorter the record title, the more amazing, I think, the record is, so fastest human, wow. It’s Usain Bolt!”
Receiving the golden ICON certificate, Bolt reiterated the significance of the recognition.
“I’m honoured to be a part of the greats, and always happy to be recognized by the Guinness World Records book. For years I’ve been in there and I’ve finally got all the certificates, which are going to look really good in my house,” he said. “I’m happy to be an ICON.”
“There will be ups and downs but you have to be focussed,” he added. “Having a great team of people around you also, to support you, is very important. But it’s mainly just hard work and dedication.”
