Usain Bolt has plenty of post-Olympic options

Usain Bolt cemented his status among the pantheon of Olympic greats with his historic "triple-treble" at the Rio Olympics. Whatever he does now that he's retired from the Games will be met with intense scrutiny and great anticipation.

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There are countless possibilities for how the 30-year-old can spend his time. He has semi-seriously considered transitioning into a career as a professional cricketer or soccer player, but he's just as likely to buy a professional team and watch from the sidelines. And, of course, there's always the possibility of reality television.

So what will Bolt do now? Here are a couple of viable options for the recent retiree:

Sprinting star-turned sneaker icon?

Bolt insists that he's done competing at the Olympics, meaning that anything is possible for the Jamaican superstar. However, perhaps stating that "anything is possible" is a poor choice of words for the Puma-sponsored sprinter since it is often associated with rival brand Adidas.

Bolt's contract with Puma runs until 2025 and is valued at $10 million US annually plus incentives, according to Forbes. It's not so far-fetched to imagine Bolt building an apparel empire similar to how Michael Jordan's personal brand continues to grow long after his playing career ended. 

As well, Bolt could team up with his Canadian counterpart and bromantic partner Andre De Grasse in a series of ad campaigns for Puma. This presents another opportunity for Bolt to be like Mike, with De Grasse possibiley playing his foil.

"Usain is part of the Puma family," Puma chief executive Bjorn Gulden told Reuters. "If he decides not to run, we will probably work even closer with him."

Now that Bolt presumably has more time on his hands, he could channel his passion and creativity into building an even stronger presence in track and field world. Plus, Bolt's iconic (and already trademarked) pose would look great stylized like Jordan's "Jumpman" logo on athletic apparel, footwear and more. 

Giving back in his home country

It's also possible that Bolt doesn't want to be a sportswear mogul. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness hopes Bolt can be influential at home.
 
"It's important to use the fame and the achievement of Usain Bolt for the benefit of Jamaica. It does open doors," Holness told BBC.
 
Holness said he would have a seat in his cabinet ready for Bolt's six-foot-five frame if the athlete would accept.
 
"Usain Bolt could be minister of anything he wants," he said.

Bolt would be far from the first Olympian to make the jump into politics. Former New York Knicks player Bill Bradley, a member of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team, served 18 years in the U.S. Senate after retiring from competition.

Politics is far from the only path Bolt can take to help Jamaica. He already spearheads two charitable foundations aimed at helping underprivileged children on the island and abroad. 

"He's been such an inspiration to Jamaican kids, showing them they can be so much more," Charles Russell, a 32-year-old from Kingston, told Reuters.
 
George Freeman, 54, who was born in Kingston and now lives in Miami, told Reuters that Bolt had done much to improve Jamaica's profile on the world stage.
 
"He has done a lot of good things for Jamaica. Whatever he does, I hope he continues to make a lot money and do a lot of good things for Jamaica."