Table of Contents
- Wellesley Bolt breathed his last at 68 after battling a prolonged illness
- The family hasn’t disclosed what the deceased was ailing from
- Wellesley was a simple man who hated being in the limelight
Olympic champion Usain Bolt’s father, Wellesley Bolt, is no more.
Wellesley breathed his last at 68 after battling a prolonged illness. Family reports indicate that Bolt’s father passed away on Monday, March 31.
The family hasn’t disclosed what the deceased was ailing from. However, Jamaican media reports that Bolt’s father had been ailing for many years.
Still, he never missed his son’s sprinting events in Jamaica and abroad. He was always accompanied by Jennifer, his wife.
Speaking to the press in many of these events, he would praise his son’s zeal in training to become the fastest man on earth.
Wellesley Bolt Life
Wellesley Bolt was a small-scale businessman operating a grocery shop in Sherwood Content, Trelawny. He loved his job and is on record saying that it was his only means to sustain his family.
Senior Bolt operated the grocery shop for decades even as his son won gold medals abroad and, in the Olympics, bagged a lot of money.
Usain Bolt with his father Wellesley Bolt. Wellesley battled a long illness and kicked the bucket on March 31. Photo/Jamaica Gleaner
He closed the grocery shop in 2017 but still held his position as a coffee board member, where he worked for 16 years.
Sherwood community respected him for the humility he exuded. Many say that you wouldn’t know that he was Usain Bolt’s father unless you knew him personally.
The community eulogized him as a man who was kind, sociable and helpful. He inspired many people in his community to live a true life and extend kindness to everyone around.
Usain Bolt Relationship with His Father
Usain Bolt, an eight-time Olympic champion, attributes his successful track career to his father, Wellesley Bolt. He has repeatedly said that the support from his father helped him become the world’s sprinting champion.
While people know Bolt for his lightning speeds on track, he wanted to be a cricket player. Athletics was nowhere in his wildest sports dreams.
It’s his father who discovered that his son was specially gifted in athletics. As a young boy, Usain recalls his father urging him to focus on athletics, citing that he had higher chances of changing his life through sprinting than with cricket.
The 100m and 200m world record holder remembers his father’s counsel warning that cricket politics would ruin his sporting career.
Retired 100m and 200m Olympic champion Usain Bolt. Photo/Olympics.com
Looking back, his father was right, and he remains thankful for the advice. His parents supported him as a young athlete. They never missed any competition in high school.
Further, Wellesley Bolt and Jeniffer flew to the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 to support their son. It was in Beijing that Usain Bolt won his first Olympic gold medal after winning in 100m.
Knowing that his parents were in the stands watching him always gave him inexplicable energy, which he attributes to his success to.
He is survived by three children: Sadiki, Usain and Christine Bolt and a wife.
Among the people who eulogized him were Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness. The Prime Minister praised the deceased for being a force behind his children, one of whom is the world’s fastest man.
“Mr Bolt was the father of a global icon and a strong, quiet force behind one of Jamaica’s greatest sons. Usain, we have all witnessed the deep love and respect you’ve always shown for your family. You celebrated them with pride, and in doing so, you reminded us of the importance of family in our own lives. As you grieve this great loss, the prayers and support of an entire nation are with you. We mourn with you, we stand with you, and we honour the memory of your father alongside you,” Holness posted on X.
