'One of the greatest ever'

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Jochen Zeitz, the man behind global sports goods manufacturing giants Puma, has described Jamaica's iconic sprinting star Usain Bolt as one of the greatest talents that have been associated with the brand in its 86-year history.

Zeitz, Puma's chairman and CEO, was responding to several questions posed to him by The Gleaner yesterday morning in the wake of his company's bumper contract extension with the 24-year-old Olympic and World champion.

It has been reported that Puma, a Germany-based company, has committed close to US$10 million to the sprinter until 2013, a figure that the chairman would not confirm, despite pointing out that he is now one of the best paid sportsmen in the world.

Bolt, in the words of Zeitz, is also the "best paid athlete in track and field history", having renewed his deal that was first signed in 2003 when he was still a teenager at a figure believed to be around US$1.5 million per year.

Unique relationship

"He's (Bolt) certainly one of the biggest (stars in our history)," said Zeitz. "We at Puma have a unique relationship with Usain. We share the same DNA in terms of our approach to sport. We put a strong emphasis on top performance, but we don't forget to have fun along the way."

He went on to stress his delight at securing the double world record holder's signature amidst stiff competition from rival companies, with the likes of US-based Nike reportedly expressing a key interest in the athlete.

"We're indeed very happy that Usain will remain part of the Puma family. He's an iconic figure for our brand ... and very popular on a global scale with fans and consumers," Zeitz beamed.

"As with any contract-renewal scenario, other companies make inquiries, but Usain made the choice to stay with Puma. And we're happy he's done so. We've built a tremendous amount of equity together both on and off the track. It makes sense that the relationship continues.

"We've got a lot of mutual respect for one another and our eyes and hopes are set on the exciting times ahead with the World Championships in Korea in 2011 and of course the London 2012 Olympics," he added.

Lead role in campaign

Bolt is expected to play a key role in the company's promotional campaign leading up to and during the London 2012 Olympics and will also reportedly earn a percentage of sales from Puma's 'Bolt Collection' line of apparel.

"We're not able to disclose the financial terms of the agreement, but I can tell you that this sets a new standard for athletics and it's competitive to what top athletes in other sports command. Usain has extraordinary talent as a sprinter and so it's fitting that his compensation reflect his high level of achievement and his potential," Zeitz reiterated.

"(Bolt) will be a central figure in our product, marketing, promotions and communication campaigns for the London 2012 Olympics. After his success in Beijing in 2008, I think it's safe to say we're all excited to see how far he can push the limits of speed in this next Olympics."

When asked to speak more on the partnership around the Bolt-inspired line of clothing and accessories, Zeitz said: "We jointly launched the Bolt Collection with Usain this year. He contributed to the designs from start to finish, really putting his own stamp on the collection of apparel, footwear and accessories. We intend to build upon this collection with new seasonal updates.

He added: "Certainly, we're always exploring new product launches that make sense, both on the performance and lifestyle side of our business. Stay tuned to see what's next."