Usain Bolt racing towards retirement with no regrets after winning Laureus sportsman of the year award
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Usain Bolt is sticking to his guns with his retirement plan for London this year.
The Jamaican sprint icon, who won the top prize for a man at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco on Tuesday night, said he has accomplished everything he wants to in athletics.
"I've just done everything I wanted to do in the sport," Bolt said.
His incredible career will end in London in August at the World Championships with eight Olympic gold medals and as an 11-time World Champion.
"I asked Michael Johnson the same question, 'why did you retire when you were on top?'. He said the same - he had done everything he had wanted to do in athletics so there was no reason to stay in the sport. Now I understand what he means."
(Photo: Getty Images Europe)
(Photo: Getty Images Europe)
Bolt is well and truly on top and led his team of international 'All Stars' to victory in the inaugural Nitro Athletics Series in Melbourne last week.
He ran his first individual race of the year, burning away from a modest field for an easy win in the 150m sprint.
On Tuesday night he was presented Laureus World sportsman of the year ahead of back-to-back Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres gold medal winner Mo Farah, tennis's world No 1 Andy Murray, Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and basketballers Stephen Curry and LeBron James.
(Photo: Getty Images Europe)
(Photo: Getty Images Europe)
(Photo: Getty Images Europe)
Four-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simon Biles was named sportswoman of the year while Britain's downhill mountain bike star Rachel Atherton was presented action sportsperson of the year.
Leicester City won the spirit of sport award while Chicago Cubs were team of the year for breaking their 108-year-old Major League Baseball World Serie drought.
US swimmer Michael Phelps won comeback of the year after winning his 23rd Olympic gold in Brazil.
Italian wheelchair fencer Beatrice Vio was sportsperson of the year with a disability and the Refugee Olympic team was awarded for sporting inspiration.