Usain Bolt Trying To Copyright His Victory Pose

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt has filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent Office to trademark his signature victory pose.

The 8-time gold medalist seems to have plans to plaster a silhouette of himself doing the pose on all kinds of merch and business opportunities including sporting goods, sunglasses, jewelry, restaurants, and even walking sticks.

It's a move that would surely get the Gene Simmons stamp of approval.

The silhouette kind of brings to mind other signature logos, most famously Michael Jordan's Jumpman.

Athletes file for trademarks all the time, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Usain Bolt would want to do the same with his celebration. It's still one of the most recognizable in the world.

However, doesn't it seem like Usain sort of missed the sweet spot for making some money off his pose?

Is Bolt's trademark as valuable as it would have been years ago?

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben told The Washington Post that Bolt first filed for a trademark in 2009. However, the US trademark lapsed because he didn't file proof that he was using it to sell goods stateside.

So, the new filing will allow him to regain the trademark, but its value has got to be significantly less than when Bolt was winning gold medals.

Bolt hasn't been in a race since 2017 and that means that the last time anyone did the pose — at least unironically — was probably, what, in 2019?

Sprinter Usain Bolt let the camera know which place he finished in at the 2016 Olympics, just in case they had the shutter speed set too low and missed it. (Getty Images)

If he had gone this route in maybe 2013 when the pose's stock was at its peak, a significant portion of the population would be decked out in Bolt gear, using Bolt Brand walking sticks, and downing a few Bolt beers at the local Bolt's Bar & Grill.

It's sort of like if the Gangnam Style Guy decided to trademark a silhouette of that dumb dance of his in 2022. I think that ship has sailed, guy.

Of course, we're not talking about the Gangnam Style Guy, we're talking about one of the fastest human beings who has ever lived.

Still, expect Usain Bolt fans to come out of the woodwork. He once said that he couldn't have competed without the fans.

Now he'll need those same fans to shell out for some Bolt-branded swag.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle