Bolt signs deal with money services provider

SAN JOSE, California:

Xoom, PayPal's international money transfer service, yesterday announced eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt as its global brand ambassador through to 2020. The partnership kicks off as Xoom expands its send money service to customers in Canada who will be able to send money, reload phones and pay bills for loved ones in more than 130 countries globally.

Known by many as the 'World's Fastest Man,' the Jamaica-born sprinter will be part of Xoom's inaugural international 'Money Go Xoom' marketing campaign launching this month in Canada and the United States. The new campaign, that underpins Xoom's ability to provide a fast, secure and convenient way to pay bills or send money to people around the world, will be brought to life with Bolt in a variety of digital and broadcast spots.

"At Xoom, we're deeply committed to delivering the fastest possible money transfer experience to our customers, so Mr Bolt was a natural fit to serve as our global brand ambassador," said Julian King, vice-president and general manager, Xoom. "We look forward to working with Mr Bolt during an exciting time as we continue to expand our services and help new populations in need of fast and reliable international money transfers."

"Having experienced the difficulties of sending money to my own family back home in Jamaica, I'm thrilled to endorse and partner with a company that's focused on delivering a fast and convenient way to send money or pay bills for family from afar," said Usain Bolt.

Xoom partnered with Bolt for his global association with speed and his shared values of supporting local communities around the world through service. In 2014, Bolt created the Usain Bolt Foundation, which creates opportunities for Jamaican youth through education, sporting provisions, and cultural development. PayPal and Xoom have a long-standing history of supporting the local communities in which they operate and hope to continue these efforts through their work with Usain Bolt over the next two years.

Bolt's journey to worldwide stardom started at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where he won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, all in world record times. He followed this up with three gold medals in the same events at the 2012 Olympic Games in London to write his name in the history books as the world's fastest man. Then, one day before his 30th birthday, he completed the same triple at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio to cement his legacy as a legend in world sport.