Usain Bolt

The Jamaican sprinter gained global recognition on the back of his record-breaking performances in the 100m (9.69s) and 200m events (19.30s) at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first athlete to break both records at the same Games. The five-time IAAF world athlete of the year further underlined his credentials as an all-time great by defending both Olympic titles at London 2012 – another unprecedented accomplishment. Bolt, an eight-time world champion, remains the world record holder with times of 9.58s and 19.19s after a sensational showing at the Berlin World Championships in 2009.