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Bolt begins pro football trial Down Under

The fastest man in the world has taken the first steps towards his dream career change, beginning training with an Australian professional football team on Tuesday.

Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt, 32, trains for the first time for the A-League football club Central Coast Mariners in Gosford, Australia on August 21, 2018.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt, 32, trains for the first time for the A-League football club Central Coast Mariners in Gosford, Australia on August 21, 2018. PETER LORIMER / AFP
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Usain Bolt has been given a 12-month trial with the Australia A-League side the Central Coast Mariners. He hopes to win a contract with the club.

It is not the first time the eight-time Olympic champion has tried out with football teams. He has been linked to clubs in Germany, Norway and South Africa, but to no avail since retiring from athletics last year.

The Mariners hope to turn him into A-League material in time for the start of the 2018/19 season in late October, with the club saying he can stay indefinitely to prove his credentials.

“I’m very cool under pressure,” Bolt told journalists after his first training session.

“My ability to understand very quickly and to learn the game is something that I’m very good at. I think I see the game very well.”

Bolt said both he and the club were determined to prove any doubters wrong.

"I'm not setting myself any targets, I'm just going to put in the work," he said.

"This is my first chance to get to a level to play as a professional, so I don't know what to expect. I'm just here to push myself. I'm here with a blank slate, I'm here to learn and get better."

His love of football began at school, where he was a goalkeeper before moving to centre-back, left wing and finally striker.

He would prefer to play up front for the Mariners, promising his trademark lightning bolt celebration if he gets a goal, but said he had no idea where the coach would use him.

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