RELATED: Jamaica’s Usain Bolt Faces Harsh Criticism For Dating A White Girl

Readers responded to the “kiss heard ’round the world,” with scathing remarks, suggesting that Bolt was sell-out:

‘Another one of our men snatched.’

‘Out of all the girls on this island you pick a snowbunny.’

‘These superstars will always disappoint if we depend on them to raise our racial identity.’

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“[Usain] opted to focus his energies on creating new records on the track,” said sources close to the athlete. “[He] is competing at the 2012 Olympics in the United Kingdom this summer and cannot afford any distraction at this time.”

Speculation is rampant that the real reason is a renewed romance with first love, Mixicann Evans (pictured right), who was seen with Bolt’s parents at a National Meet in Kingston, Jamaica last Saturday, reports the Star.

“She remains a close friend of the family, and they (Usain and Mizicann) are in constant touch,” said a friend of Bolt.

Tell us what you think?

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Usain Bolt

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While Bolt has already been dating Slovak for a year, the ish literally hit the fan when the two were photographed kissing each other (pictured below right) in local newspaper the Jamaican Observer (pictured right). The photo ignited a firestorm of disapproval from Black Jamaicans, bemoaning Black men’s “White woman complex.”

A Winston Frazier wrote the following on March 16:

Dear Editor,

I note with interest Usain Bolt’s recent love interest. The Observer’s March 14 Page 2 picture of them kissing and the March 15 cartoon highlight it. Why is it that when most of these black men become famously rich they all gravitate to these Caucasian women?

Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against any race (although some may take issue with me). I just find it strange because these same women would not look their way under normal circumstances. Two words of advice to Mr Bolt – Tiger Woods.

And Winston isn’t alone. Others chimed in:

‘Another one of our men snatched.’

‘Out of all the girls on this island you pick a snowbunny.’

‘These superstars will always disappoint if we depend on them to raise our racial identity.’

For many, Bolt’s embracing of “the White girl” was an immediate rejection of the local Black Jamaican girls Bolt grew up with. This concept was illustrated in a cartoon that ran with the original published photo (pictured below left).

Bolt’s girlfriend grew up in Canada, but then relocated to Jamaica after reportedly falling in love with the island. Slovak has enjoyed a successful career as a fashion designer on the island, co-owning clothing line Anuna and a Kingston, Jamaica, boutique.

Slovak’s business partner, Tami Chynn, was reportedly the one to introduce her to Bolt, and soon after Slovak interviewed him for a Slovakian newspaper, the two reportedly began dating.

While one could possibly look at the negative criticism of Bolt’s interracial relationship as an isolated incident, there is a long, drawn-out history of Black males dating and marrying White women due to slavery and racism.

Award-winning songstress Jill Scott eloquently described the history of Black men, Black women, and White women back in 2010:

When our people were enslaved, “Massa” placed his Caucasian woman on a pedestal. She was spoiled, revered and angelic, while the Black slave woman was overworked, beaten, raped and farmed out like cattle to be mated. She was nothing and neither was our Black man. As slavery died for the greater good of America, and the movement for equality sputtered to life, the White woman was on the cover of every American magazine.

She was the dazzling jewel on every movie screen, the glory of every commercial and television show. She was unequivocally the standard of beauty for this country, firmly unattainable to anyone not of her race. We daughters of the dust were seen as ugly, nappy mammies, good for day work and unwanted children, while our men were thought to be thieving, sex-hungry animals with limited brain capacity.

We reflect on this awful past and recall that if a Black man even looked at a White woman, he would have been lynched, beaten, jailed or shot to death

Bolt’s performance comes nearly a week after he was disqualified from the 100m final, a race in which he holds the world record.

His time was the fourth-fastest ever. Bolt has the world record of 19.19, which he set at the 2009 World Championships, plus he ran 19.30 to win the Olympic gold in Beijing. Michael Johnson of the U.S. ran 19.32 for the previous record.

Read more at USA Today.

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The Jamaican sprinter said in a statement Monday that he was disappointed with his false start in the 100 meters, which disqualified him from the world championship final.

“I was feeling great through the rounds and was ready to run fast in the final,” said Bolt, who has become the face of track and field since setting world records in both the 100 and 200 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “I worked very hard to get ready for this championships and things were looking good.”

Bolt was looking to defend his world titles in both the 100 and 200 in Daegu. Two years ago in Berlin, he broke both his world records, running 9.58 in the 100 and 19.19 in the 200.

Setting another record in the 200 is still possible for the tall Jamaican, who has shown more of his showboating personality on the track in South Korea. The heats are on Friday ahead of Saturday’s final.

“I have to move on now as there is no point to dwell on the past,” said Bolt, who also congratulated Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake for winning the 100 world title in his absence. “I have a few days to refocus and get ready for the 200 meters on Friday. After this I have the 4×100-meter and a few other races before the end of the season.

“I know that I am now in good shape and will focus on running well in the 200 meters.”

Bolt was disqualified for jumping the gun in Sunday’s 100 final. In years past, being the first to false start would have only given him a warning, but the IAAF changed the rule in 2010 to eliminate any cautions.

The worlds in Daegu are the first major championships to enforce the rule, and they caught the sport’s biggest star in the event’s marquee race.

“The rules are there. They’re the same for everyone,” IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said. “Usain Bolt of course is a fabulous performer. He’s a star athlete. But we have to be very careful not to stray into the world of show business where we say, ‘We have a star. The star must be there. The star must perform.’”

Although the world was forced to watch the 100-meter final without the biggest name, former Olympic champion hurdler Allen Johnson said only Bolt was to blame.

“I hate to sound a little harsh, but it’s his fault,” Johnson said. “I tend to think, and I’ve always thought, even when I was competing, the people who false started showed me that they were the ones who weren’t ready.

“Bolt is by far the fastest man ever, but I think yesterday he showed all of us that he wasn’t in top form. He wasn’t ready.”

The IAAF Council is scheduled to meet on Sunday, the final day of the nine-day championships, and the issue of the false start rule could come up. The council has the power to change the rule once again.

“The main point is that the rule exists,” Davies said. “It’s the same for everyone.”

But by next week, the world may see if the “Bolt Factor” has any say in what happens to the rule for next year’s London Olympics.

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Usain Bolt Signs Massive Deal With Puma

Usain Bolt Loses In Stunner To American Tyson Gay

Olympic champion Usain Bolt said American sprint rival Tyson Gay “probably just hates my guts” because he has dominated major championships.

Bolt won both the 100 and 200-meter titles at the 2008 Olympics in world-record times, and helped Jamaica win gold and set another world record in the 4×100-meter relay.

A year later, he again set world records in the 100 and 200 at the world championships in Berlin.

“I think Tyson sits at home and cusses me,” Bolt told BBC radio on Wednesday. “He just really gets upset because every time he runs fast, I run faster than he does. At the world championship he ran 9.71 and that’s the fastest a US athlete has ever run and he was still cussing. So deep down I think he probably just hates my guts.”

The 24-year-old Bolt hadn’t lost an individual race in two years until last month, when Gay beat him in Stockholm in a 100-meter race.

“It’s no stress. This year is not a championship year, this is my year off I would say, so it is no problem,” Bolt said. “I am always ready, prepared and on top of my game (at the championships).”

Bolt says that he doesn’t speak to the 28-year-old Gay away from the track.

“We are cool but we aren’t the best of friends,” Bolt said.

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Usain Bolt Loses In Stunner To Tyson Gay

Usain Bolt’s Back Injury Sidelines Him For 2010

Puma has renewed its sponsorship deal with Usain Bolt, the three-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder for the 100 meter sprint, and set its own record in the process.

The German sportswear giant says Bolt will receive a sum that is by far the largest ever given to a track and field athlete, positioning him as “a top earner in the world of sport.”

Puma ( PMMAF.PK – news – people ) would not disclose financial details but a number of press reports have said it is comparable to Nike ( NKE – news – people )’s four-year $32 million deal with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Puma’s contract with the Jamaican sprinter is now set to last until 2013, though Bolt has been with Puma since he was 16. “Puma’s been by my side since the beginning, before anyone knew what I was capable of achieving,” Bolt said in a press release.

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RELATED:

Usain Bolt Loses In Stunner To American Tyson Gay

 Usain Bolt To Run Adidas Grand Prix

Usain Bolt is calling it quits for 2010, cutting his season short because of tightness in his lower back less than a week after losing in the 100 meters to American rival Tyson Gay.

Bolt’s manager, Ricky Simms, wrote in an e-mail Tuesday that the world record-holder at 100 and 200 meters will have treatment to loosen his back and then rest, skipping IAAF Diamond League track and field meets in Zurich on Aug. 19, and Brussels on Aug. 27.

“I am very disappointed to miss two of the top meetings on the circuit … but trust that it is better for me not to take any risks this year,” Bolt said, according to Simms. “2011 and 2012 are very important Championship years and I hope to be back fully fit and healthy. I would like to thank everyone for their support and look forward to coming back stronger next year.”

Simms said Bolt was examined Monday by a doctor in Munich who found the back problem.

RELATED: Usain Bolt Loses In Stunner To American Tyson Gay

“He has a tightness that restricts his ability to generate power in his stride and continuing to race in this condition could risk injury to his hamstrings or calf muscles,” Simms wrote.

Bolt’s manager said the decision to take a break was made “with a view to his future career.”

Simms also said that an MRI exam showed that a previous left Achilles’ tendon injury is healed.

Bolt hadn’t lost an individual race in two years until Friday, when Gay beat him at the DN Galan meet in Stockholm. Gay ran 9.84 seconds, and Bolt finished in 9.97.

Afterward, even Gay acknowledged he wasn’t racing against a fit Bolt.

“I’m really happy with the win,” Gay said at the time, “even though Usain Bolt isn’t in the best shape.”

RELATED: Usain Bolt To Run Adidas Grand Prix In New York

When the 6-foot-5 Bolt is at his best, no one comes close to him.

The Jamaican stole the show on the track at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning gold medals and breaking the world records in the 100 and 200 sprints, as well as the 400 relay. None of the finals in those events was even close, and Bolt began his celebration in the dash before it was done, stretching out his arms with palms up, then slapping his chest.

He followed that up at last year’s world championships in Berlin by lowering his marks in the 100 to 9.58 seconds and in the 200 to 19.19.

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STOCKHOLM (AP) — Tyson Gay upset world record holder Usain Bolt in the 100 meters at the DN Galan meet in 9.84 seconds on Friday.

The American always looked in complete control against Bolt, who was straining to keep up with Gay by the end of the highly anticipated race. Bolt was second in 9.97.

A sellout crowd in the Olympic Stadium was silent before the race between the two fastest men of all time. And the tension increased even further after two false starts.

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The sprinters both looked like they left plenty in reserve when they cruised through the heats, and so it proved when it came to the final. Richard Thompson of Trinidad finished third in 10.10.

Bolt set a world record of 9.58 seconds at the worlds in Berlin in 2009, but has not faced both of his top competitors in the same race since then.

RELATED: Usain Bolt To Run Adidas Grand Prix In New York

Asafa Powell of Jamaica pulled out of the race on Wednesday with a back injury, denying fans the chance to see the first race between the world’s three fastest men.

In other events, American Bershawn Jackson set a new stadium record of 47.65 in the 400 hurdles. Javier Culson of Puerto Rico was a distant second in 48.50 and Angelo Taylor of the U.S. third in 49.57.

Darya Klishna of Russia beat a top-class field in the women’s long jump with 6.78 meters. Brittney Reese of the United States was second with 6.75, and European silver medallist Naide Gomes of Portugal third with 6.72. European champion Ineta Radevica of Latvia was down in fifth, with 6.70.

RELATED: Usain Bolt: Profile Of A Champion

“I missed Barcelona so this was something special for me,” said Klishna. “I always like to jump with the best possible field. It gives me more motivation.”

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Usain Bolt won the 100 meters at the Athletissima meet in 9.82 seconds Thursday, returning from an Achilles’ tendon injury to match the year’s fastest time.

The Jamaican beat countryman Yohan Blake (9.96) and Churandy Martina (10.16) of the Netherlands Antilles in a race created for Bolt after he pulled out of the 200 meters in the Diamond League event.

On a sweltering, airless night, Bolt equaled Asafa Powell’s time of 9.82 in Rome on June 10. The two Jamaicans will meet in Paris next week.

“It’s going to be something big,” Bolt said.

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Bolt, the Olympic and world champion in the 100 and 200, said his Achilles’ tendon was still “slightly” painful during the race. Still, he exceeded his expectations of a 9.88 finish and said he hopes to return to the 200 before the end of the season, provided his doctor gives the OK.

Cuba’s Dayron Robles won the 110-meter hurdles in 13.01 seconds. He was followed by Americans Ryan Wilson in 13.21 and David Payne in 13.22.

RELATED: Usain Bolt: Profile Of A Champion

American Walter Dix, who had been due to race Bolt in the 200, won that race in 19.86 seconds. Martina was second in 20.08, and Xavier Carter of the United States finished third in 20.15.

“I was very disappointed Bolt was not running, but it feels good to be leading the Diamond League today,” Dix said.

RELATED: Usain Bolt Charges Track And Field

Fellow American Jeremy Wariner set a world season best in the 400, winning in 44.57 seconds ahead of countryman Lajerald Betters in 44.70. Jermaine Gonzales of Jamaica was third in 44.72.

In the women’s 1,500 meters, Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka also ran the fastest time in the world this season, finishing in 3 minutes, 59.28 seconds. Ibtissam Lakhouad of Morocco, who lost the race in the final meters, finished in 3:59.35. Kenyan Nancy Jebet Langat came third with 4:00.13.

Some athletes, including Russian high jumper Ivan Ukhov, complained about noise in the stands from vuvuzelas, the ear-buzzing World Cup horns adopted by a handful of track fans.

NEW YORK — Usain Bolt will run the 100 meters this summer in New York City.

Organizers announced Tuesday that the three-time Olympic gold medalist will compete in the Adidas Grand Prix on June 12 on Randall’s Island.

This will be Bolt’s first competition in the United States since the Beijing Olympics. He set his first world record at this meet in 2008. The Jamaican calls the track “lightning fast” and says he looks “forward to returning to the Big Apple.”

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Usain Bolt Gallery

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Bolt won the 100, 200 and 4×100 in Beijing in world-record time. He’s also the reigning world champion in the 100 and 200.

The New York meet, formerly known as the Reebok Grand Prix, will be the fifth stop on the inaugural IAAF Diamond League circuit.

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NAIROBI, Kenya — The world’s fastest man adopted the animal kingdom’s fastest sprinter Monday, as Usain Bolt welcomed a new baby cheetah named Lightning Bolt into his life.

The Jamaican sprinter’s sponsorship of the 3-month-old male cheetah is part of an effort to boost Kenyan conservation efforts of its famous wildlife, whose survival is threatened by trophy hunting, climate change and human encroachment.

The world record-holder in the 100 and 200 meters paid $13,700 to formally adopt the cub. He will also pay $3,000 a year to care for Lightning Bolt, who will be raised at an animal orphanage in Nairobi.

The money will go to the Kenya Wildlife Service, and some will be used to protect Kenya’s endangered species, KWS director Julius Kipngetich said.

Bolt was joined on the trip by Colin Jackson, a former 110-meter hurdles Olympic champion, and Jochen Zeitz, the chief executive of athletic gear manufacturer Puma. Zietz made the visit to launch his charity’s campaign to preserve ecosystems.

Jackson adopted a 2-year-old eland, the largest of the antelope species.

Bolt, who was on a four-day visit to Kenya, said Friday he was looking forward to seeing Kenya’s diverse wildlife but was scared of meeting lions.

He nearly ran away when asked Monday to pet a fully grown cheetah named Sharon for a photo shoot with Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Bolt had Zeitz stand in for him, until he saw that Sharon seemed harmless.

The world record-holder appeared more comfortable later while handling his baby cheetah, which was the size of a fully grown domestic cat. He cradled the fuzzy-headed cub while feeding it bottled milk as cameramen snapped away.

When asked if he was afraid of cheetahs, Bolt said: “Yes, I was, but not anymore.”

Lightning Bolt is among three cubs rescued by KWS officials after their mother abandoned them in a game park.

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Usain Bolt May Go For 4 Gold Medals At 2012 Olympics

VIDEO: Usain Bolt Sets New World Record For 200 Meters

VIDEO: Usain Bolt Sets New World Record For 100 Meters

BRUSSELS — Usain Bolt may go for four gold medals at the 2012 Olympics in London.

However, the world’s fastest man won’t be making the decision whether to attempt the feat achieved by Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis.

“For me, I don’t know,” Bolt said, when asked about the possibility of chasing four golds. “I always leave the decisions up to my coach.”

Speaking ahead of Friday’s Van Damme Memorial track and field meet, Bolt said if it were up to him, he would add the long jump to the 100, 400-relay and 200 meter sprints, rather than the 400.

In Beijing, his coach Glen Mills did not confirm Bolt for the 100 until the last moment, despite the fact that he was the world record holder. Of course, Bolt went on to win the 100, 200 and 100-relay golds, all in world-record times.

After a second golden triple at the Berlin world championships last month, Bolt could be the first male track athlete to earn four Olympic golds at the same games since Lewis at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Owens won four Olympic golds at the 1936 Berlin Games.

It would also place Bolt — who has declared his desire to become “a legend” — in the most exalted of company. Bolt said if he does decide to go for four, it would take meticulous preparation.

“You don’t want to try something new and then something goes wrong,” he said.

Bolt said he has such faith in his coach that he would go against his own wishes if Mills thought it would be better for him to tackle the 400 rather that the long jump. Owens and Lewis each added the long jump to their three sprint events.

Bolt already ran some 400s early in the season to boost his stamina for the 200.

“It really gives you speed and endurance,” the Jamaican sprinter said. “The 400 I don’t want to do, but I think I’ll do it in the future because my coach can be very convincing. And he’ll find some argument for me to do it.”

Bolt would prefer the long jump, relying on his natural speed to send him flying.

“I think I would be pretty good. I tried it when I was young, just messing around,” he said.

For the moment though, he’s focusing on the 200 at the Van Damme. He tried out the new Mondo track on Wednesday and wants to beat the 19.79 second stadium record set by Tyson Gay three years ago.

“19.70 is my goal on Friday,” said Bolt, who had a blistering run of 19.19 in Berlin to shatter his own world record.

Gay will only run the 100 because of a lingering groin injury.

Usain Bolt was honored by the city of Berlin by receiving an original segment of the Berlin Wall—nearly three tons of it.

The Jamaican sprinter, who broke world records in winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters, was presented with the piece of wall at a small ceremony Sunday, the final day of the world championships.

The 12-foot high section will be delivered to Bolt’s training camp in Jamaica.

The piece of the wall, which divided communist East Berlin from West Berlin between 1961 and 1989, is decorated with a life-size painting of Bolt running on the blue track of the Olympic stadium and the words “NEW WR”—new world record. Bolt set a world record in the 100 at 9.58 seconds and 19.19 in the 200.

“I will never forget Berlin,” Bolt said at the ceremony. “Ich bin ein Berlino.”

The bear mascot of the championships is called Berlino, while the phrase “ich bin ein Berliner” was used by former President John F. Kennedy during a visit to West Berlin.

Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit said Bolt had shown that “one can tear down walls that had been considered as insurmountable.”

The Berlin Wall came down in 1989, as communism was collapsing in Eastern Europe.

Related

VIDEO: Usain Bolt Sets New World Record For 200 Meters

VIDEO: Usain Bolt Sets New World Record For 100 Meters

BERLIN (AP) — Olympic champion Usain Bolt has set a world record of 19.19 seconds to add the world title in the 200 meters to his gold in the 100.

Exactly one year after taking gold at the Beijing Games with a record of 19.30, Bolt had an even greater run. Like the record in the 100 meters Sunday, he shaved .11 seconds off his mark.

Panama’s Alonso Edward was second, a massive .62 seconds behind. Wallace Spearmon of the United States took bronze.

Defending champion Tyson Gay was out with an injury.

Watch The Video

Related

VIDEO: Usain Bolt Sets New World Record For 100 Meters

Usain Bolt: Profile of a Champion

Usain Bolt has captured another world record, winning the 100-meter race in 9.58 seconds at the world championships.

Bolt shaved 0.11 seconds off the record he set at the Beijing Olympics, beating defending champion Tyson Gay on Sunday, who set a U.S. record of 9.71 seconds.

In the fastest 100 ever, Asafa Powell earned a bronze with a time of 9.84 in Berlin.

The race had been the most anticipated event of the world championships and lived up to its billing.

Bolt won the Olympic gold in Beijing last year with a world record performance of 9.69.

Watch The Video

Usain Bolt ran the world’s fastest 150 meters to win a soggy street sprint on Sunday that marked his return to competition after a car crash left him requiring minor foot surgery.

The triple Olympic champion ran down Manchester’s main thoroughfare in windy conditions, finishing in 14.35 seconds to break Donovan Bailey’s 12-year-old world best of 14.99 in the rarely run 150. Pietro Mennea of Italy ran in a hand-timed 14.8 in 1983.

“It is one more to the tally,” the 22-year-old Bolt said. “It’s my first major competition of the season so I was just happy to come out and run injury free and run a good time.”

The Jamaican appeared to stumble after surging out of the blocks but then got into his stride. But he struggled to slow down after the finish despite organizers extending the temporary track by 70 meters and crashed into a camera.

“I was kind of worried, I thought I was going to die at the end,” he joked. “My agent told me that the finish of the race was the clock and I was running after the race was done, about 50 meters more.

“I think I could go even quicker because I’m not in the best of shape right now and I slipped at the start a little bit. I’m probably only 70 percent fit and I’ve got a lot of work to do and need to buckle down right now.”

The last 100 was run in 8.70, considerably faster than his world record time of 9.69 that won Olympic gold last August.

“Oh wow, that’s good,” he said after being informed of the time.

Last month, Bolt crashed his BMW into a ditch along a highway and required surgery on his left foot after stepping onto thorns while getting out of the wreckage.

Hundreds of fans lined the route Sunday in the narrow street bisecting the city as the sun re-emerged after heavy rain had fallen during the heats, which Bolt did not have to enter.

Marlon Devonish of Britain was second in 15.07, followed by Ivory Williams of the United States and Britain’s Rikki Fifton in the four-man race.

Debbie McKenzie Ferguson of the Bahamas won the women’s race in 16.54 ahead of Britain’s Olympic 400 champion Christine Ohuruogu, who finished in 17.10.

Bolt made a quick dash from the center to Old Trafford to attend Manchester United’s player of the year awards ceremony. He saw his favorite team win the Premier League title on Saturday from the directors’ box.

“It is a great honor for me to be around the players because I’ve seen these guys on TV every day,” Bolt said. “I’m used to people coming to me, but for me meeting the players is such a great thing.”

Bolt established himself as the world’s fastest man at the Beijing Olympics, setting world records in the 100 and 200 meters and also running for the Jamaican team that broke the world mark in the 400-meter relay.

Earlier Haile Gebrselassie won the Great Manchester Run in 27 minutes, 39 seconds, but a strong wind stymied his attempt to regain the 10-kilometer world record of 27:01.

Watch Usain Bolt Set The 150 Meters Record

Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt was in a car crash Wednesday in Jamaica, but police and his manager said he was not seriously injured.

Bolt was apparently speeding on a rain-slicked highway when he lost control of the BMW M3 and it went off the road, police Sgt. David Sheriff told The Associated Press. Sheriff was the first officer to arrive at the scene in St. Catherine parish and found the car heavily damaged.

Bolt and an unidentified female passenger were taken to the hospital, though neither was seriously hurt, Sheriff said.

The track star’s manager, Norman Peart, said Bolt sustained nothing more than scratches from thorn bushes when he stepped out of the car on the side of the road.

“We are very relieved he’s OK,” Peart told the AP. “Everybody is fine.”

Bolt’s team will conduct tests over the next 48 hours to decide whether he sticks to his competition schedule, Peart said. Bolt has a meet Saturday in Jamaica and is set to run a 150-meter street race in Manchester, England on May 17.

The 22-year-old sprinter won the 100 and 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics and was part of the Jamaica team which won the 4×100 relay. All three gold medals were earned in world record times.

Bolt was given the BMW by his sponsor Puma as a reward for his outstanding performance in the Olympics

As the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt has earned an honored place on the veranda of his aunt’s house and bar in their remote hometown, Sherwood Content. Several posters of Bolt flank a photograph of Nelson Mandela, a clock embossed with the Lord’s Prayer and a plaque featuring Big Mouth Billy, the novelty singing bass.

Karen Fuchs

Bolt’s coaches say he is not finished improving his sprint times. “My main goal is to be a legend in my sport,” Bolt, 22, said.

“She always makes me laugh,” Bolt said of his aunt.

It was a similar melding of the iconic and the playful that Bolt used to stun and charm 90,000 Olympic spectators in Beijing and a worldwide television audience last summer. While collecting three gold medals and three world records, he enjoyed himself immensely, pantomiming an archer drawing his bow and celebrating on the track with a dance called the Gully Creeper.

And now Bolt is hoping that his good-humored personality can be as transcendent as his speed, which produced records in Beijing of 9.69 seconds at 100 meters, 19.30 at 200 and 37.10 in the 4×100 relay.

Not only does Bolt want to revitalize track, a sport experiencing international decline, and redefine the limits of speed, but by the 2012 Summer Games in London, or soon after, he wants to become the first track star to earn $10 million a year in prize money, appearance fees and endorsements.

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As Black leaders made strides on every other possible front, the exceptional figures who paved the way in athletics long before political power could be attained reached more milestones still. In almost every major sport, Black athletes made an indelible mark on the world stage at the Beijing Olympics. The national leagues for soccer, football, basketball, baseball, track and field, and tennis were all home to the greatest performances we have seen in the new millennium as the individual feats and team hallmarks astonished fans everywhere. In light of that, NewsOne would like to highlight the ten athletes who made 2008 a cornerstone of their storied careers.

Cullen Jones – After a near drowning incident during his childhood, the 24-year-old Olympic swimmer made it his point to become a strong swimmer. As a native of the Bronx section of New York City, Jones had to tread an unlikely road to realize his dream. He attended St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey, where his coach Lou Pettrizello helped propel his rise through the amateur ranks. At North Carolina State, Jones then set and broke several 50M freestyle swim records before making the Olympic team in 2008. Cullen Jones was instrumental in securing the 4X100M freestyle medal for the U.S. Men’s Olympic team, despite being the accepted underdog to a boasting French squad.

Serena Williams – Serena Williams waited in the backseat for the first stretch of her legendary career as sister Venus Williams made her name a fearsome bell rung in the ears of her tennis opponents worldwide. But, competitive fire runs in the family and, while Venus tended to struggle with injury in her twenties, Serena began to rack up Grand Slam titles and defeat the same opponents who had intimidated her in the past. This year was another peak for Serena as she captured the U.S. Open Single’s title for women by defeating Jelena Jankovic, capping a year where she contended in most of the Grand Slam tournaments. It was her 9th title.

LeBron James – NBA superstar LeBron James is the league’s best individual performer and, perhaps, one of the best teammates there is. He is a relentless scorer, a capable defender, a superb passer, and helps to raise the level of play whenever he takes the court. After a season of statistical highs in every category, James entered the playoffs with an improved Cleveland Cavaliers team ready to make another run at the Finals (where they were swept in 2007). Despite being derailed by the Boston Celtics in seven games, he scored a spectacular 45 points in the Game 7 loss, dueling with Celtics Finals MVP Paul Pierce (41 points) throughout. James was crestfallen after the loss, but managed to channel his energy into Olympic basketball, where he assisted the U.S. Dream Team Redux in winning the gold medal.

Kobe Bryant – Where James had failed, Bryant succeeded. Kobe Bryant brought his Los Angeles Lakers team to the NBA Finals after a season of unexpected dominance in the NBA’s Western Conference. And, after years of being the media’s whipping boy, Bryant finally earned their respect through Most Valuable Player voting. After finishing in the top five for several years with the Lakers but never taking home the award, it was a moment of redemption for the troubled All-Star. The Lakers also reached the NBA Finals for the first time since Shaquille O’Neal’s controversial departure in 2005, but they lost in six games. Bryant also used the Celtics lesson to drive himself to Olympic gold in Beijing, making clutch shots against motivated opponents.

Candace Parker – Candace Parker had a heap of other-worldly expectations to greet her as she became a professional player drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks. She met them all. Her college career at the University of Tennessee was a template for winning as she racked up individual awards like Player of the Year, and two national championships in 2007 and 2008. She continued her winning ways with the Sparks by earning Rookie of the Year, All First Team WNBA and Most Valuable Player. She is one of four players to have done that in any sport.

Usain Bolt – Entering the Olympics as a Jamaican wunderkind, Bolt had only been a name on the international Track and Field stage for two years prior. As a professional, he broke Jamaican Donald Quarrie’s former record in the 200M sprint. Picked as a heavy favorite during the Olympic sprint trials in 2007, Bolt matched his namesake once he set foot on the track in Beijing. He won the 100M, 200M and 100M relay gold, and was the first to win the trio since Carl Lewis had done it in 1984. Bolt returned to his home country of Jamaica as a national hero because he had vaulted the island nation to global prominence. Bolt wowed the entire world by slowing up to celebrate during the 100M sprint and still easily breaking the world record by hundredths of a second.

Adrian Peterson – The NFL running back for the Minnesota Vikings made his first impression as a player for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. Peterson earned Associated Press First Team All-American honors as the school’s second leading rusher of all time. Drafted in 2007, Peterson awed his fans with incredible speed and power, a rare combination for an NFL runner. Not one to rest on his laurels however, Peterson won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before then becoming the Pro-Bowl Most Valuable Player just weeks later. Peterson’s career holds promise, and he stands as the NFL’s leading rusher with two weeks of play remaining.

Kevin Garnett – The man known simply as “KG” has been the subject of intense scrutiny since he entered the NBA as a professional at a fresh 18 years of age. Although his effort and competitiveness never came into question, he often took the blame when his lowly Minnesota Timberwolves did not perform to the level of his $100M+ contract. Announcers, pundits, coaches and managers openly questioned if he was worth the money designated by his gargantuan pay. After many tumultuous years with the Timberwolves — and one MVP award in 2004 — Garnett finally expressed his disenchantment with the organization, and admitted he would be receptive to a trade. And so it was done. The Boston Celtics acquired Garnett for a slew of young players, and he began a new quest for the championship he so longed for in the Land of 1,000 Lakes. With Paul Pierce as the Celtics backbone, and Ray Allen acquired in a trade, the Big Three met and surpassed the expectations of such a highly touted group of players. Garnett and the Celtics won the NBA championship, which made his Defensive Player of the Year Award almost pale in comparison. An emotional KG cried tears of joy and exaltation during the final game celebration.

Veronica Campbell-Brown – The Jamaican sprinter had long been in the hunt for Olympic gold before she arrived at the 2008 Beijing Games. She won the 200M individual sprint in the Athens Games of 2004, and teamed with the other Jamaicans for the 4X100M title. Despite not running a qualifying time to make the Jamaican sprint team in 2008, Campbell-Brown won gold with them in a coup by the Jamaicans. She also took home the 200M gold, clocking the 7th fastest time in history.

See more of NewsOne’s BEST OF EVERYTHING 2008!!

Usain Bolt was born in Sherwood Content, a small town hidden in the hills of Trelawny, Jamaica known for its Yam farming, 22 years ago. Trelawny is a northern Parish many miles away from the capital of Kingston. Trelawny was originally a big producer of sugar and had the largest population of Maroons in Jamaica. Maroons were run away slaves who started their own communities. Trelawny is also known for its track athletes such as Gold medalists, Veronica Campbell Brown, and disgraced gold medalist, Ben Johnson.

Bolt originally was a cricket player and his coach noticed his speed and encouraged him to try track and field. By the time he was 15 he was already 6 ft 5 inches and was running in the 200m and 400m and making a name for himself on the junior track circuit.

In 2004, at age 18, Bolt would go to the Olympics and Athens but fail to qualify for the medal round. He would be offered scholarships from the US’s top schools but decided to stay in Jamaica and attended the University of Technology in Kingston Jamaica.

Usain Bolt would soon be encouraged to run the 100m as well as the 200m and would keep up appearances on the international track circuit. Running in several international competitions. He peaked at the right time breaking his fellow Jamaican, Asafa Powell’s world record last May in New York.

Coming to the Olympics Bolt along with Tyson Gay were the favorites in the 100m. Tyson Gay didn’t qualify for the medal round leaving Bolt as the hands down favorite. He did not disappoint breaking the world record and pounding his chest before he crossed the finish line.

Despite his much publicized celebrations, Bolt is a reserved humble man. Just as Alan Iverson and other Americans have come to represent the Hip Hop generation, Bolt has come to represent Jamaica’s dancehall generation. After winning the 100m, Bolt did the Nun Linga(No Linger) Dance and after winning the 200m, he did the ‘Gully Creeper Dance.’ Bolt is often seen at the Kingston hotspot, Quad and is familiar with all the latest dances. Colt’s victory has spawned many dance crazes in Jamaica which was never short on horeography

What will the future bring for Usain Bolt? Despite the fact that he has no football experience whatsoever(no one in his country even plays it) he is being scouted by the Miami Dolphins and their coach Bill Parcells. Bolt also has a lucrative endorsement deal with Puma and is being offered large amounts of money to race all over the world.

Usain’s Bolt was a victory for the underdog and the unheard. A man from a poor small town in a poor small country has captured the world and given Jamaica a hero they have not seen since Bob Marley. The first world that largely ignores the vast majority of people who come from 3rd world countries has been forced to see a 3rd world child in all his glory.

Bolt has shown that with discipline, focus, natural talent and a whole country standing behind him, anything is possible even a country with less than 3 million people could defeat the goliath of the US track team who have been dominating track since Jesse Owens.

Watch Footage of Bolt

TAGS 100 meters, 200 meters, 4 by 100 relay, dance nuh, dnacehalll, Entertainment, gold medal, ja, jamaica, linga, trelawny, usain bolt jamaica, world record

To say that Bolt received a hero’s welcome would be a vast understatement. With medals stored safely away, Usain Bolt slowly made his way through a throng of enthusiastic supporters at the gates. One can only imagine the adrenaline rush surging in Bolt after being greeted by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, and other national leaders.

From Times Online:

They don’t like to do things fast here in Jamaica – except, of course, for their sprinting – and Bolt’s movement from tarmac to car and by motorcade to the centre of town was a five-mile journey that took over an hour.

There is little underestimating the effect that Bolt and his fellow Jamaican kings and queens of speed have had on their nation. His journey into Kingston yesterday was given a live commentary by KLAS Sports Radio, as if it was a royal wedding, occasionally breaking to play one of the many songs that the island’s reggae artists had composed in that glorious August.

The hurricane season has not battered Jamaica this year. The summer also proved a powerful moment in the country’s history, with the Olympic track and field team tallying nine medals in sprint events. It was the first time Jamaican track won gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter races. Usain Bolt has benefited most from the recent fame, most recently accepting an invitation to appear on CBS’s David Letterman show on September 24th. 

Usain Bolt will not be able to solve the country’s poverty problems, or address the perpetual violence in the nation, but the day he returned there were no murders reported. Apparently, the swell of pride even reached the criminals.