Usain Bolt marked his 40th birthday with a memorable milestone away from the athletics track, getting engaged to his longtime partner Kasi Bennett during a celebration in Kingston, Jamaica. The surprise proposal took place in front of family and close friends, with Bolt getting down on one knee while holding a microphone. He then presented Bennett with a five-carat diamond engagement ring. The proposal came as Bolt celebrated four decades of his life and several years removed from a record-breaking sporting career.
The engagement adds another significant chapter to Bolt’s life after an extraordinary career that made him one of the most recognisable athletes in history. The eight-time Olympic champion continues to hold the men’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds and the 200m world record of 19.19 seconds. He also won three Olympic gold medals at three successive Games in the 100m and 200m, alongside relay success, before retiring from athletics after the 2017 World Championships. Bolt and Bennett have been together since 2013 and share three children. The proposal was reportedly kept as a surprise, making his 40th birthday celebration even more memorable.
Inside Usain Bolt and Kasi Bennett’s journey from 2013 to engagement
Kasi Bennett has been a significant part of Usain Bolt’s life for more than a decade, with their relationship dating back to around 2013. Bennett is a Jamaican entrepreneur and model, and she and Bolt have largely kept their personal life away from the spotlight, particularly during the early years of their relationship. Their relationship became more widely known around the 2016 Rio Olympics, when the couple began appearing together more publicly.
Over the years, the pair have also built a family together. They are parents to three children: daughter Olympia Lightning, born in 2020, and twins Thunder and Saint Leo, born in 2021. Despite Bolt’s enormous global profile as one of the greatest sprinters in history, the couple have generally maintained a relatively private family life. Their relationship has continued through major stages of Bolt’s post-athletics career, including his retirement from competitive sprinting and his ventures away from the track. Bennett has also remained involved in her own professional pursuits as an entrepreneur and model. Their latest milestone came when Bolt proposed to Bennett during his 40th birthday celebrations, marking a new chapter in a relationship that has lasted for more than a decade.
