Usain Bolt hosts next year’s Sun Met

Usain Bolt, the world 100m and 200m record holder, will host next year’s Sun Met.

The R5-million horse race sponsored by Sun International is one of the most prestigious of its kind in the world and will take place on January 27, 2018.

With two $500 000 (R6.7 million) races also carded, this makes the event the richest race day in Africa.

The announcement that Bolt will be the host was made at the launch of the Sun Met, celebrated with GH Mumm Champagne, at the Grand Africa Cafe and Beach in Cape Town on Wednesday.

It is through his connection with the French champagne producers that Bolt will be at the Cape Town race as their chief entertainment officer.

More good news is that Italian jockey Frankie Dettori is likely to ride at the meeting for the second successive year. He rode Edict Of Nantes to victory in the R1 million Investec Derby.

Bolt, who recently retired from athletics, is the fastest man on Earth. The 31-year-old Jamaican is a multiple Olympic Games and World Championships gold medallist over the two shorter sprints.

He was also a member of the Jamaican team that holds the world record for the 4×100m relay. He is the Olympic champion in all three events.

Bolt won the 100m, 200m and 4×100 m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games. There were also exciting changes made to the Sun Met, which will now be raced as a weight-forage event.