Tributes have poured in for Usain Bolt’s dad Wellesley, who has died aged 68 after a long battle with illness, as the Olympic icon’s ‘quiet force’ hailed by fans
Usain Bolt’s dad Wellesley had died aged 68 after a long battle with illness.
Wellesley Bolt, who oversaw the eight-time Olympic gold medalist’s rise to superstardom and hailed as his quiet force, passed away on Monday in Jamaica, local media confirmed.
He was often spotted in the stands alongside his wife Jennifer, opting to stay out of the limelight as he son rewrote the history books on the track.
Wellesley remained in Kingston where he ran a shop in Sherwood Content, Trelawny for 15 years up to 2017. Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, gave the Bolt family his sympathies on social media.
He said: “I join with every Jamaican in extending my deepest and most sincere condolences to Usain Bolt, his beloved mother Mrs. Jennifer Bolt, and the entire Bolt family, following the passing of their patriarch, Mr. Wellesley Bolt.”
He added: “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,”
PNP President and Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, also extended sympathies, saying, “Usain Bolt has given so much to Jamaica, and we stand with him in his time of grief. We hope that he and his family find comfort in the memories of Mr Bolt’s life and legacy.”
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