Wellesley Bolt, the father of track and field superstar Usain Bolt, has died.
He reportedly died at a medical facility in Kingston yesterday, just hours after he was transported there from his home in Sherwood Content, Trelawny.
When The Gleaner contacted residents in the quaint community, which is approximately eight miles from the parish capital, Falmouth, we were told that Mr Bolt had a stroke some time ago and has been ailing since.
“He was sick for some time… he got a stroke, and I don’t think he ever recovered from it,” said Leon Jackson, who grew up in the Sherwood Content community and knew Mr Bolt for many years.
He used to play cricket in his younger days, and I believe he became a big track and field fan when Bolt began making a name in the sport.”
The senior Bolt was instrumental in his son’s decision to take up track and field, instead of cricket and football, which he was also good at — and at which many believed he could have excelled.
Mr Bolt was said to be a disciplinarian, who placed much emphasis on values and attitudes, and was a renowned figure in the Sherwood community, where he operated a grocery shop for many years.
When his son took on iconic status after his record-breaking performance at the Beijing Olympics, where he copped gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m, Mr Bolt became somewhat of a legend himself, as he was constantly being tracked by sports journalists, who regularly visited the community to get insight into the story behind Bolt’s success.
Glen Mills, who is like a second father to Bolt as he guided his track and field career, was quite familiar with Mr Bolt, who, he said, took a great interest in his son’s development and would show up at training sessions from time to time.
“I met him a couple of times … he always had a great interest in his son, and he would come to watch him train … [Usain] Bolt always spoke highly of him and the influence he had over his upbringing. He was a strict disciplinarian I understand, who always guided him and saw to it that he was on the right path.,” said Mills.
“To me, my interaction with him was that he was a very jovial fellow, full of wit and intelligence, and he always had a positive outlook on everything and his (Usain’s) competitions, his development, and his future,” added Mills.
When Bolt was at the peak of his career, dominating at both the Olympic Games and the World Championships, his father and mother, Jennifer Bolt, were among his most ardent fans as their faces would regularly pop up on television screens cheering him on.
In expressing her condolences to Mr Bolt’s family, Sport Minister Olivia Grange yesterday released a statement hailing the senior Bolt for the pivotal role he played in driving his son to global success.
“Nothing beats the unconditional love of a supportive family. Wellesley and his wife Jennifer were the picture of a loving and supportive family who were always there for their son, Usain. They were Usain’s chief motivators, chief cheerleaders, source of constant support, and stability,” said Grange.
“Every success that Usain has achieved can be attributed to the confidence given to him by his ever-supportive mother and father. I offer my sincerest condolences to Jennifer, Usain and the rest of the Bolt family on the passing of Wellesley, or ‘Gideon’, as he was so affectionately called by friends and neighbours in Trelawny. It is going to be a difficult time, but I encourage them to be comforted by the memory of a very good father,” added Grange.
Opposition Spokesman on Sport Wavell Hinds echoed Grange’s sentiments.
“We hope that he and his family find comfort in the memories of Mr Bolt’s life and legacy,” said Hinds in a statement from the People’s National Party.
“Usain Bolt has given so much to Jamaica, and we stand with him in his time of grief.” (Jamaica Gleaner)
