'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Usain Bolt: $27 million (8% increase over last year)
The fastest man on the planet may have retired with one of the most anti-climatic final acts ever, but Usain Bolt is still one of the most marketable athletes on the planet.
After having turned around the sport of 100m sprinting in specific, and athletics in general, saving them from a gaping abyss of controversy, dullness and (performance enhancing) drug-induced pessimism, Bolt became the face for track-field and has garnered more endorsements than any track and field athlete, ever.
The eight-time Olympic Gold medallist's endorsement deal with Puma has propelled the German footwear company to the limelight and has given them an equal stage to fight it out after years of being in the shadow big-brother Adidas and American giants Nike.
He also has a high-profile deal with Gatorade and Virgin Media and endorses a number of products on social media - where he is the third most valuable athlete behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
