Usain Bolt—just saying his name is like hitting a speed record! This lightning bolt of a man isn’t just the fastest man, but he’s also a proud dad to three little ones: his sweet daughter, Olympia, and twin sons, Saint Leo and Thunder. But hold up, he’s got a fourth kid in the mix, and it’s not what you think—he’s actually the godfather of little NJJ! This kid is the son of Nugent ‘N.J’ Walker, Bolt’s best buddy since they were just five years old. Now, N.J. is more than just a friend; he’s also Bolt’s agent, making this bond even more special!

When NJJ was born, Bolt took to social media to proudly declare his godfather status. Fast forward to today, and NJJ is making a name for himself as a talented soccer player! At just nine years old, he’s shining at Hillel Academy in Jamaica, dominating the field with impressive skill. Bolt, ever the proud godfather, frequently shares NJJ’s accomplishments on social media and recently made another shout-out, highlighting the young star’s promising future.

On October 14, Usain Bolt took to Instagram Stories to share a video of NJJ scoring a fantastic goal in one of his games of the Alberga Cup Season. He also posted a snapshot of NJJ in action, kicking the ball with his jersey number 99 proudly displayed. Bolt captioned the story, saying, “Don’t play with #99 left foot #godson #NJJ.” It’s clear he’s really proud of his little champion!

Bolt shared another story featuring a post from the Jamaica Gleaner, highlighting NJJ’s achievements. The accompanying picture read, “Mona, Hillel kick-start Algebra Cup season in impressive form.” NJJ’s Hillel, in their match against the American International School of Kingston (AISK), started strong with an early lead of 2-0. NJJ scored both goals in the first half in the 10th and 42nd minutes. Though the AISK stormed back to level the game, 5 more goals in the second half helped Hillel to win the match 7-2.

Usain turned up the vibe by dropping his own track, “Thankful,” featuring NJJ and NJ, as the soundtrack for his story. This lively godfather-godson duo not only thrives on the field but also channels their creativity into music, often sharing their rhythmic magic on Usain Bolt’s YouTube page.

They’ve got a whole playlist of bangers together, including hits like “Life,” “Winning is A Must,” and many more. And this Instagram shootout isn’t the first time Bolt has proudly showcased his support for NJJ, letting the world see just how much he believes in his talented godson! In fact, Bolt was there last year to support the little one.

Bolt was present there at the FYI Consultancy Group-organised Youth Football League at Constant Spring football field. While he seemed biased for Hillel and NJJ, he rooted for all the young players out there. “For me, at this stage, it’s just fun. It’s just fun seeing them enjoying themselves and developing. At a young age you can see the talent and see who will be future footballers. So it’s good to start at a young age,” Bolt had said. Interestingly, Bolt has a longstanding relation to soccer.

Bolt’s initial training was not in track and field but it was soccer and cricket. In soccer, Bolt started in goal because of his build but quickly moved to the wing, providing the crosses for Walker to score. For the unversed, Bolt has also tried his legs in soccer. After the 34-year-old quit track and field after the 2017 World Athletics Championships, he moved to soccer.

Bolt trained with clubs in South Africa, Norway, and Germany before deciding to try his luck in the professional ranks in the A-League, training with the Central Coast Mariners in Australia. He made his professional soccer debut in August 2018 with the club, also scoring two goals in a friendly. But he left the club in November 2018 after the two sides could not come to terms with a new contract. But Bolt showed his talent during his short stint.

Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth had said, “He integrated very well into the team and made great strides as a footballer.” Interestingly, speaking to Jamaican radio station Irie FM in 2021, Bolt had said that his decision to move to Australia to pursue a professional soccer career was a mistake.

“When I decided that I was going to go into it, I was like ‘I don’t want to stay in Europe’. Because of who I am, in Europe, the sole attention is going to be on me. I decided to go as far as possible away, but I think the correct thing to do was to actually stay in Europe where there were much better teams,” Bolt had said. Having to part ways with one of his sporting passions, it seems Bolt finds pleasure in watching his godson flourishing in that. Notably, he has been there for NJJ right from the moment he was born.

From Lightning Bolt to godfather vibes

Let’s rewind to 2015, a year buzzing with excitement as Usain Bolt prepared for the World Championships in Beijing. It was a moment filled with anticipation, but a scare surfaced when NJJ was born earlier than expected and needed immediate medical attention. Despite the immense pressure surrounding one of the biggest races of his career, Bolt didn’t let the stakes stop him from checking in on his best friend, NJ Walker, and his newborn son.

NJ Walker shared, “He was facing the biggest race of his career, people were saying he was going to lose to Justin Gatlin, but he was ringing me five or six times a day. I was like ‘focus on the race’ and he wouldn’t listen.” Walker added, “So while I’m there for him, he’s there for me and always has been.”

Fast forward to July 2023, when Usain Bolt lit up Instagram with stories celebrating his young godson’s incredible soccer performance. NJJ dazzled on the field, scoring ten goals in a school championship match, leaving his godfather bursting with pride. Without missing a beat, Bolt shared the exciting news, playfully captioning one story, “better than your father.” He also expressed his admiration, calling NJJ the “best of the best.”

But wait, there’s more! Earlier this year, NJJ lit up the track in the Class 2 boys’ 60m dash, zooming past his rivals and channeling his godfather’s speed. Usain proudly shared the moment on his X handle, posting a clip of NJJ’s run with the caption, “Hot foot…Keep having fun my G #godson #NJJ.” Talk about a dynamic duo!