Bolt signs “biggest-ever” athlete deal 25/08/2010 |
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Sprinter Usain Bolt has renewed his contract with Puma in a deal said to be the biggest ever signed by a track and field athlete.
The Jamaican, who is taking the rest of the year off through injury, has extended his agreement with the sportswear firm until 2013.
Jochen Zeitz, chairman of Puma, said: "Usain Bolt has been a revelation. He has shined a global spotlight on the sport. His winning personality and phenomenal physical prowess are a unique combination. Usain has been a tremendous force for the Puma brand."
The German company added that the value of the new contract is “by far the largest ever given to a track & field athlete”.
Some media reports suggest Bolt’s three-year deal could be worth as much as $5m a year. The previous record for a track and field athlete was the $1.5m a year Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva is paid by Chinese sporting-goods maker Li Ning, according to Sport & Markt.
Bolt said: "Puma's been by my side since the beginning, before anyone knew what I was capable of achieving. They saw potential in me and they took a chance, supporting me all the way, especially when things weren't easy for me due to injuries I suffered in my teens.
"We've been partners in the truest sense of the word since day one, and so it's an easy decision to re-sign with them. They take the business of running seriously, but we also know how to have fun, to be spontaneous. We both bring a lot of personality to the sport."
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