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Usain Bolt is trying to become a soccer player

Many athletes crave change after years in the same sport. For some this results in retirement from sport altogether, but for others, they try their hand at something new

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Arguably the greatest sprinter of all-time, Usain Bolt, is attempting to become a soccer player. Bolt is awaiting a six-week trial with an Australian team, the Central Coast Mariners. 

The sprinter has also played with the Borussia Dortmund, the Norwegian side Stromsgodset and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. None of his trips have resulted in a professional agreement. The Guardian reports that it is unlikely that Bolt will end up a professional soccer player, but cannot deny his desire to become one. 

Bolt reportedly insisted while playing at Dortmund, that he intends to make it as a soccer player, “at a high level.”

Like Bolt, many athletes begin to crave change after years in the same sport. For some this results in retirement from sport altogether, but for others, they try their hand at something new.

It takes a special athlete to make the transition from one sport to another. Here are three Canadian track athletes who have been successful in their switch:

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Phylicia George: hurdles to bobsleigh 

George is a Canadian dual-season Olympic athlete. She began her Olympic career at the London 2012 games where she ran the 100m hurdles. From there she continued in track, competing at the 2015 Pan Am Games and the 2016 Olympic games in Rio. In 2016 George advanced to the 100m Olympic final. 

After the 2016 Olympics she was contacted about trying the bobsleigh. What began as an out of the blue suggestion, turned into an Olympic bronze medal in the two-man bobsleigh at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games. 

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Michael Woods: 3,000m to cycling 

Woods was one of Canada’s best-ever junior runners. Woods competed on the track and still holds the Canadian junior 1 mile and 3,000m records. 

After suffering a series of injuries, Woods retired from running and got on a bike. From years of running and cross-training, Woods already had a significant aerobic engine. After only four year on a bike, Woods made his first Olympic team in 2016. He has become one of Canada’s best cyclists. 

RELATED: Once a runner, Michael Woods fulfills lifelong dream of making the Olympics

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Liam Foudy: track to hockey 

Foudy is the current OFSAA record holder in the 300m hurdles for both midget and junior boys. He ran 39.99 as a grade nine student in 2015, and 37.86 in grade ten to set the records. The hockey player is only 18 years old, and graduated from Neil McNeil high school in Toronto this year. Foudy didn’t have a track career as long as the other athletes on this list, but still managed to accomplish a lot in his time in the sport.

Foudy was the Columbus Blue Jacket’s first-round pick. Many believe that Foudy is the fastest, smoothest skating forward in this year’s draft.

RELATED: Double OFSAA record holder drafted to NHL

 

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