Usain Bolt might have found his second calling. The world record 100-meter sprinter found the back of the net twice during his first professional soccer start. Playing for Australia's A-League Central Coast Mariners, Bolt helped the club secure a 4-0 victory on Friday night over Macarthur South West United.
Bolt didn't forget his roots in the world of track and field either. Fans of the Jamaican sprinter will be pleased to know he broke out his signature lightning bolt pose after scoring his first goal in the 55th minute. The callbacks to his Olympic running don't end there though. His jersey number, 95, is also an homage to his world record 9.58 time in the 100 meter.
Fifteen minutes later after his first goal, the eight-time gold medalist showed some love to Blocboy JB by hitting his signature "Shoot" dance to celebrate his second score.
Later in the match, the 32-year old was interviewed on the sideline by Fox Sports about his accomplishment. "It was my first proper game with the first team. So, I'm just happy that I got a chance and I'm proud of myself," he said.
He was also asked how this stacks up to his previous milestone in the sports world. "Scoring a goal in your first proper match, it's a big deal," he said. "Scoring two goals, it was a good feeling because this is what I've worked towards. I tried to get better, I tried to improve myself, and I'm on the way to doing that."
The all-time Olympian participated in his first match with the team on Aug. 31. In that contest, he was subbed in at the 72nd minute and played until the final whistle. Bolt feels that his game has improved a lot since he began. "I think I've improved in every area. I think my touch is a little bit better; my vision needs to improve a little bit more. I think my running off the ball is where I’ve improved most."
The World's Fastest Man is still unsigned, but a two-goal game is certainly a step in the right direction. Not to take away from Bolt's big game, but it was merely a preseason matchup. The Central Coast Mariners officially begin their season on Oct. 19.
