Jamaican High Commission in Pretoria Newspage - USAIN BOLT DESCRIBED AS NATIONAL INSPIRATION

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange, has described Olympic and world sprint record holder, Usain Bolt, as a national inspiration, who has transformed athletics.

“Usain you confound us, but we love it because you give us hope; you are a national inspiration (and a) patriotic Jamaican. You have transformed track and field; you have transformed athletics, and what really makes it great is that Usain is Jamaican born, Jamaican raised, Jamaican trained - he is a home boy,” Miss Grange said, during a press conference, held at the Terra Nova All-Suites Hotel in Kingston, on September 14, as part of Usain Bolt’s scheduled activities on his arrival in the island.

The Minister noted further that Usain exemplifies hard work and the best of Jamaican talent, adding that the nation “celebrates the return of the most successful athlete we have produced and the greatest the world has ever seen. Usain, we are very proud of what you have done for Jamaica.”

Leader of the Opposition, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, echoed the sentiments of the Minister, noting that the historical performances by Usain Bolt, “have given the country more reason to celebrate than any other recent set of events.”

“Usain’s athletic prowess has held enthusiasts and observers alike spell bound as he rewrites record books over and over again, while an ecstatic world watches in amazement and celebration. In moments like these, it will be easy for us to focus only on the victories, we must however, take the time to acknowledge the processes that make these victories possible,” Mrs. Simpson Miller said.

She said it is clear that Usain is a product of a strong family background - one in which the virtues of discipline, respect and humility have been instilled in him by his parents and relatives. She also praised his teachers for preparing him well and his coach and manager for sharpening his skills and talents.

The Opposition Leader also lauded the “world class” performances of the nation’s athletes during the recent International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), World Championships, in Berlin, Germany.

“As a country, we can be proud of our consistent support for the development of sport as an integral part of national growth and development. We must now make the necessary investments, legislation and international treaties to ensure that our athletes do not only enjoy the winning of medals, but also in the business opportunities generated by their hard work and performance,” Mrs. Simpson Miller said, adding that this consistent investment could also reap success in other areas of national life.

Usain Bolt’s manager, Norman Peart, said that Usain’s schedule for the next six weeks is a mixture of rest, relaxation, and some committed events, aimed at consolidating his brand in the local, regional and international markets. He noted that the management team and Turn Key Productions are to collaborate to stage a super party from December 3 to 5, that will be used as a major contributor to a few of the charities Usain Bolt supports.

Mr. Peart informed that Usain’s management team launched the athlete’s official website: www.usainbolt.com in early July and that the response has been tremendous. He further informed that the management team has been boosted with the introduction of sports journalist, Carole Beckford, as a publicist.

President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), Howard Aries, said that Usain Bolt has “transformed the horizons and the face of track and field forever,” and that in doing so, he has demonstrated “his passion for entertainment, his love for his country, his ability to see himself as just another person, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously.”

President of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), Neville McCook , who brought greetings on behalf of President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Lamine Diack, said he hoped that Usain would continue to “demonstrate not only on the track but off the track, his ability to bring along others in the field of track and field athletics, the sport that we know is the major contributor to the Olympic movement every four years.”

In his remarks, Usain thanked God and expressed gratitude to his supporters for getting him through a “rough season.” He admitted that it was a wonderful season, although trying in the early stage. “I came through with a lot of support from my family, my coach, friends and management team,” Usain said.
“I would like to thank everybody for coming out and supporting me. I would like to thank Jamaica overall and also Trelawny and Sherwood Content for just supporting me through everything, and supporting me while I was in Berlin,” he added.

Jamaica’s athletes, who placed second behind the United States in the medal haul at the World Games, won an impressive 13 medals, including seven gold, four silver and two bronze. Usain Bolt, however, had the world awestruck when he broke his own world records in the 100 metres, with 9.58 seconds, and in the 200 metres, with a time of 19.19 seconds. He also won a third gold medal in the men’s 4x100 metres relay.

JIS, Kingston