Central Coast Mariners unveiled superstar Usain Bolt on Tuesday as the Olympic champion joined his new teammates for a training session at Gosford.
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Bolt and the players were put through a light session by Mariners coaching staff at Central Coast Stadium, on what was a glorious day at the picturesque ground.
Bolt tendered to stick close to Mariners veterans Matt Simon and Kalifa Cissé during training, having met the pair during his first night in Australia on Saturday.
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Earlier on arrival, Bolt entered the stadium via a side gate and avoided nearly all of the awaiting media as he strolled into the dressing sheds to prepare for the session.
A throng of cameras and reporters then lined the side of the player tunnel in anticipation of his first steps onto the pitch and into Australia football.
As Bolt walked on he was greeted with happy birthday wishes from the media for turning 32 today.
Training began with some light ball work as Bolt became a custom to the field and began feeling out his new teammates.
In a group of four, Bolt warmed up with Matt Simon, Michael McGlinchey and Jacob Melling. He appeared relaxed joking in the group but a little flat on his feet.
The players then completed a series of stretches led by strength and conditioning coach Andrew Young.
Bolt was the only player wearing tracksuit pants at the session with the Jamaican perhaps finding Gosford’s 14-degree weather a little different to his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, where it was about 30 degrees at this time of the year.
He soon ditched the jacket as he completed some half-field drills.
As the majority of the squad moved into an opposed contest, Bolt continued to stretch with Kalifa Cissé and was monitored by Young.
For a period of about 20 minutes, Bolt sat and spoke with Young out in the middle of one half of the field.
Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp said Bolt’s first day was about recovering from jetlag and assessing where his abilities were really at.
“It’s really been about making sure his sleeping patterns are in order,” he said.
“He’s had a long flight to get over and that’s why today is really day one for him.
“It’s the first time he’s really stretched out the legs a little bit and we’ll go forward from there.”
Earlier LIVE training blog
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