Usain Bolt might be the fastest man in the world, but not in the aspect of love. It took him more than 13 years to get down on one knee.
He finally proposed to his long-time partner, Kasi Bennett during his 40th birthday celebration in Kingston, Jamaica, on August 24, 2026.
Before the proposal, the couple had been together since 2013 and have had three children from the relationship. Hence, the moment was more like the natural conclusion of a carefully built life than a sudden decision. 
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He Wanted What His Parents Had
Usain Bolt has had a couple of reasons for waiting long before getting married. One of the reasons being that he wanted to be like his parents.
In a 2016 interview with People magazine, he said:
“I want to have what my parents have. I want to take my time to make sure everything is perfect.”
His parents, Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt, also spent about a decade before they got married. He chose to use them as an example to shape how he went about his own relationship.
He Wanted to be Sure He Had the Right Person
Like many people, looking for ‘Miss Right’ kept Bolt from jumping into marriage. Bolt’s search tool 13 years with one woman.
In the same interview with People, he explained:
“For me, over the years, I’ve waited because I want to make sure it’s the right person.”
For a man whose career was defined by explosive, decisive moments on the track, his personal life followed a completely different path. He was not interested in rushing into marriage just because the public was anticipating it.
Usain Bolt Chose to Build a Family Life First
Bolt and Bennett started dating in 2013 and their relationship was largely private for the first three years.
Their relationship went public for the first time during the 2016 Rio Olympics. By the time he proposed to Bennett, they had already done the labour of building a family.
Their first daughter Olympia Lightning was born in 2020. In 2021, they had their twin sons Thunder and Saint Leo.
Bolt continued to play down the necessity and pressure of having titles. In one interview in 2025, he said:
“People place too much importance on titles, but we’ve reached a stage where we’re not worried about all that. We talk, and we know at some point we are going to get married.”
He also added that, “People rush into marriage, but you should live with someone first, get to know them, and then get married.
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There were several speculations about their relationship status for years. At one point, there was a photoshopped image of an engagement ring on Bennett’s finger which sparked engagement rumors. However, Bolt later laughed it off. When he was asked in interviews if he would wait until he was 60 to marry, he replied that he “wouldn’t do that to her.”
His proposal to Bennett follows his announcement of his marriage plans on The Fix podcast in 2025: “It’s coming soon, man. Very soon,” he said.
Although the couple are now engaged, no wedding date has been announced yet.
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