Usain Bolt is a sprinter.
The 100 metres , or 100-metre dash , is a sprint race in track and field competitions . Usain Bolt . Due to his unprecedented dominance and achievements in sprint competition , he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time . An eleven-time World Champion , he won consecutive World Championship 100 m , 200 m and 4 × 100 metres relay gold medals from 2009 to 2015 , with the exception of a 100 m false start in 2011 . His achievements as a sprinter have earned him the media nickname `` Lightning Bolt '' , and his awards include the IAAF World Athlete of the Year , Track & Field Athlete of the Year , and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year ( four times ) .