TRYING NEW THINGS

Usain Bolt Tries Out for Australian Soccer Team

Bolt, who has reportedly dreamed of becoming a soccer player, said he's “serious” about the endeavor.

Usain Bolt, an eight-time Olympian known for his impressive sprinting speeds, is trying out for an Australian soccer team. The New York Times reports that Bolt, who has “dream[ed] of becoming a professional soccer player,” will start a six-week trial period with the Central Coast Mariners, a team that’s based outside of Sydney. If all goes well, Bolt is “expected to start a season-long deal” with the team in October. Despite critics calling the move a public-relations stunt to aid a disappointing season for A-League soccer in the country, the “world’s fastest man” insists that he’s the real deal. “For me, it’s a big deal,” he told a local paper. “Everyone feels like I’m just kidding around, just joking, but I’m serious.” Bolt currently holds three world records in track and field, and previously tried out for soccer teams in Germany and Norway.