Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt is in talks to start a trial run as a soccer player on the Central Coast, according to reports.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist is currently negotiating with the Central Coast Mariners to take part in a six-week trial that could see him signed for a full season, according to News Corp.
The 31-year-old champion sprinter has not commented publicly on the deal, but Central Coast Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp tweeted a lightning bolt at midnight on Monday, which was retweeted by the A-League team.
Bolt is the world record-holder for the 100-metre and 200-metre sprints, but retired from athleticsin 2017.
"I've just done everything I wanted to do in the sport," Bolt told Reuters in February that year.
In September 2017 he told Fairfax Media he wanted to just "be a bum" for a while, but said he was not ruling out a "Floyd Mayweather comeback" and flagged soccer as a sport of interest.
"Not fighting, no, the sport it could be is football as a massive Man[chester] United fan, we'll see," he said.
His trial with the Mariners would not be his first run at becoming a professional soccer player.
In May, Bolt trained with Norwegian team Stromsgodset, and he trialled with German side Borussia Dortmund in March.
Mielekamp told News Corp Bolt's previous trials showed the track star had potential.
"This is a very real football opportunity, this is not a stunt or gimmick – we want to know if Usain can play," he said.
One of the agents involved in organising the trial, Tony Rallis, told Channel Nine that Bolt’s signing was not a gimmick.
“He is dead set serious to be the best he can possibly be. We think that his best will be enough to play or play a part in an A-League competition,” he said.
The Central Coast Mariners have been contacted for comment.
