In less that a month, a second Caribbean athletes has been officially honored by his country for his stellar performance on the track. First, it was Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda; now the Jamaican government has conferred on Usain Bolt the nation’s fourth highest honor, the Order of Jamaica, which entitles him to be addressed as ‘Honorable’ and use the post nominal letters ‘OJ’. The 23-year-old Bolt will be the youngest ever recipient of such award.
In addition, yesterday, September 15, the Jamaican government approved the appointment of Bolt as ambassador-at-large and be accorded full diplomatic status. It also promised to rename Highway 2000 (Jamaica’s high-speed expressway) the Usain Bolt Highway in his honor.
Bolt, who broke the 100m and 200m world records at last year’s Beijing summer Olympics, improved both times at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany last month to hold two of the most prestigious world records in athletics: 9.58 secs in the 100m dash and 19.19 secs in the 200m. He also shares in a third world record, the 37.10 secs clocked by Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team in Beijing. Bolt ran the third leg of the relay.
Earlier this month, the Antigua & Barbuda government named the country’s history-making sprinter Daniel Bailey a sporting ambassador and promised him land for his unprecedented achievement at last month’s IAAF World Championship in Berlin, Germany (see story below).
Bolt and Bailey are training partners coached by Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica.