Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has sparked global excitement after revealing he would be open to making a dramatic Olympic comeback at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, not on the track, but on the cricket field.
Cricket is set to return to the Olympics for the first time in 128 years, and the prospect of the world’s fastest man trading spikes for pads has quickly captured the imagination of sports fans worldwide. The LA28 Games, scheduled from July 12 to 29, 2028, will feature cricket as one of the headline additions to the programme.
Although Bolt retired from athletics in 2017 as an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and world-record holder, the Caribbean icon has never hidden his deep love for cricket. Growing up in Jamaica, the sport was his first passion long before sprinting turned him into a global superstar.
Speaking recently to Esquire magazine, Bolt joked about the possibility of representing Jamaica once more.
“I am happily retired from professional sport. I haven’t played cricket in a long time, but if they call, I will be ready! [Laughs],” he said.
From Fast Bowler Dreams to Sprinting Immortality
Bolt’s connection with cricket runs deep. As a schoolboy he dreamed of becoming a fast bowler, and it was actually his cricket coach who encouraged him to try track and field, a decision that would change sporting history forever.
That switch produced the most dominant sprinter the world has ever seen. Bolt completed an unprecedented 100m and 200m double at three consecutive Olympics, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016, and remains the world record holder in both events with times of 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds, set in Berlin in 2009.
Yet even at the peak of his athletics fame, cricket never left his heart. In 2014 he played in a high-profile friendly match in India alongside 2011 World Cup winners Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh, and in 2024 he served as a brand ambassador for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hosted in the USA and West Indies.
Cricket’s Olympic Comeback
The return of cricket to the Olympic stage has generated huge anticipation, particularly in traditional powerhouses such as India, Australia, England, Pakistan, and the West Indies. At LA28, six men’s and six women’s teams will compete, each tournament featuring 90 athlete slots with squads of up to 15 players.
The women’s final is set for July 20, while the men’s gold-medal match will close the competition on July 29. Cricket last appeared at the Olympics in Paris 1900, where Great Britain defeated France to claim gold.
For many Caribbean fans, the thought of Bolt wearing Jamaican colours again, even in a different sport, feels like a dream script. However, reality may be more complicated. Approaching his 40th birthday and now serving as Director of Performance with long-term sponsor Puma, Bolt has shown no intention of returning to full-time competition.
Despite the playful comments, Bolt insists he is enjoying life after athletics. His focus has shifted to business, philanthropy, and family, though he remains one of the most influential figures in world sport.
Still, the mere idea of the sprint king charging in with a cricket ball, or striding to the crease under Olympic lights, is enough to ignite hope.
