Usain Bolt: A Global Superstar!

Researched and Compiled by HB - courtesy of Arthur 'Turo' ZiadieMonday, June 4, 2012

I decided to compile this special issue of "Brown's Sports Beat" after realizing that many of the people with whom I've had discussions, while demonstrating full awareness of Usain Bolt's exploits on the track and his greatness as an athlete, did not fully realize the extent of his global popularity. In fact, I'll always remember NBC's Ato Boldon, in a live commentary from Berlin, Germany during the 2009 IAAF World Championships, stating plainly that Bolt is among the three most popular athletes on the planet. Ato was certainly correct! Also, I believe it was British commentator Peter Matthews who, in a live commentary during last year's IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, likened the reception given to Bolt abroad with that of a rock star. I hope you enjoy these photos that I've researched and compiled of Bolt and his activities off the track. - HB
 

 

DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 20, 2011: In the two photos above, Usain Bolt poses at the Daegu Bell prior to the start of the lAAF World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Puma)

 

THESSALONIKI, GREECE - SEPTEMBER 11, 2009: Usain Bolt races a local child during his visit to a school in Thessaloniki, Greece. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

 

THESSALONIKI, GREECE - SEPTEMBER 11, 2009: Bolt is escorted back to his car by security during his visit to a local school on September 11, 2009 in Thessaloniki, Greece. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

 

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 29, 2009: In the photos immediately above and below, Usain Bolt kicks-off the ball at the start of the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on August 29, 2009 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

 

 

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 29, 2009: Bolt visits COE in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alejandro Gonzalez/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

 

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC - MAY 23, 2012: Bolt poses with children during the Chocolate Children's Spike ahead of the IAAF World Challenge Athletics Meeting Golden Spike (Zlata tretra)  in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The Golden Spike took place in Ostrava on May 24-25. (Photo by Pavel Sonnek/ isifa/VLP/Getty Images)

  MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - NOVEMBER 12, 2011: Usain Bolt (centre left) of Jamaica and Sally Pearson (centre right) of Australia pose with their male and female 2011 World Athletes of the Year awards next to President of the IAAF Lamine Diack and Prince Albert II of Monaco at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Gala on November 12, 2011 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Frederic Nebinger/Getty Images)
  MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - NOVEMBER 12, 2011: Usain Bolt (second left) and Sally Pearson pose with their male and female 2011 World Athletes of the Year awards next to President of the IAAF Lamine Diack (left) and Prince Albert II of Monaco at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Gala on November 12, 2011 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Frederic Nebinger/Getty Images)
 MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - NOVEMBER 12, 2011: Usain Bolt and Sally Pearson win the IAAF athlete of the year award at the IAAF World Gala on November 12, 2011 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Frederic Nebinger/Getty Images)

 

KINGSTON, JAMAICA - MARCH 6, 2012: In the photo above and the next two below, Prince Harry races Usain Bolt at the Usain Bolt Track, University of the West Indies on March 6, 2012 in Kingston, Jamaica. Prince Harry was in Jamaica as part of a Diamond Jubilee Tour, representing Queen Elizabeth II. The tour covered four countries: Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Brazil. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
 

 

  

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 15, 2010: Usain Bolt dances with the Justice Crew prior to the Athletic Allstars Meet at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre on September 15, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

 

 

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 10, 2009: Usain Bolt, world record holder for both the 100-meter and 200-meter races, talks to the media after receiving the Laureus World Sportsman of the year during an awards ceremony held at The Four Seasons Hotel on June 10, 2009 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images for Laureus)

SLAVKOV U BRNA, CZECH REPUBLIC - MAY 29, 2011: Usain Bolt attends a celebrity golf tournament on May 29, 2011, in Slavkov u Brna, Czech Republic. (Photo by Tomas Hajek/isifa/Getty Images)

 

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 28, 2011: Sprinter Usain Bolt (center) and rapper Tinchy Stryder (left) perform ahead of the UEFA Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC at Wembley Stadium on May 28, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

 

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 28, 2011: Bolt (left) performs ahead of the UEFA Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC at Wembley Stadium in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

 

ROME, ITALY - MAY 24, 2011: Bolt signs autographs for fans after the IAAF Golden Gala press conference in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) 

DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA - MAY 19, 2010: Usain Bolt of Jamaica signs his autographs to fans after winning the men's 100-meter race during the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting 2010 at Daegu Stadium on May 19, 2010 in Daegu, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

 

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC - MAY 27, 2010: 100 meters world record holder Usain Bolt celebrates with fans after winning the 300 meters race at the IAAF World challenge Golden Spike Ostrava on May 27, 2010 in Ostrava, Czech Republic (Photo by Martin Divisek/VLP/isifa/Getty Images)

 

SHANGHAI, CHINA - MAY 23, 2010: Usain Bolt's fans celebrate his victory in the 200-meter race during the IAAF Diamond League Shanghai at Shanghai Stadium on May 23, 2010 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)   

 DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA - SEPTEMBER 4, 2011: Bolt celebrates victory and a new world record with his mother Jennifer Bolt following the men's 4x100-meter relay final during day nine of 13th IAAF World Athletics Championships at Daegu Stadium on September 4, 2011 in Daegu, South Korea. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)     

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 17, 2009: Usain Bolt shakes hands with crowd after his victory in the 150-meter Men's Final during the Bupa Great City Games held on Deansgate on May 17, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

 

MONACO - NOVEMBER 22, 2009: 400-meter World Champion and 4×400-meter relay Olympic Champion Sanya Richards of the USA (left) and World and Olympic Sprint Champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica (right), winners of the female and male athletes of the year awards, pose with their trophies during the IAAF World Athletics Gala at the Sporting Club on November 22, 2009 in Monaco. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

 

AHMEDABAD, INDIA - MARCH 22, 2011: Sachin Tendulkar of India impersonates a 'Usain Bolt' pose during India Nets Session at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium on March 22, 2011 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

 

MUNICH, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 17, 2010: Usain Bolt (right) and German rapper D-Flame perform during a promotion session for German sports textiles brand Puma on November 17, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexandra Beier/Getty Images For Puma)

 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 16, 2010: In this handout image supplied by BridgeClimb Sydney, Australian boxer Danny Green poses with World and Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on September 16, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Bolt was in Sydney on a promotional tour to take part in the Gatorade Bolt Quest for the Fastest Man in Football. (Photo by BridgeClimb Sydney via Getty Images)

 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 15, 2010: Boxer Danny Green (left) congratulates Usain Bolt after the celebrity relay during the Athletic Allstars Meet at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre on September 15, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) 

 

DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA - SEPTEMBER 4, 2011: Usain Bolt poses with a cheque after Jamaica broke the world record for the men's 4x100 metres relay during day nine of the 13th IAAF World Athletics Championships at Daegu Stadium in Daegu, South Korea. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

 

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 15, 2009: The great soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United meets Olympic Champion Usain Bolt ahead of a First Team training session at Carrington Training Ground on May 15 2009, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

 

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 15, 2009: Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United squad meet Olympic Champion Usain Bolt ahead of a First Team training session at Carrington Training Ground on May 15 2009, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

 

Now for a Jubilee renaissance

Jubilee - faith, hope, celebration!

Jean Lowrie-Chin| Jamaica Observer | Monday, July 09, 2012

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/Now-for-a-Jubilee-renaissance_11903443#ixzz20QmRzr3v

We are in the one-month run-up to Jamaica's Golden Jubilee, a year that could finally see a more unified, productive Jamaica - if we walk all this glorious talk! Indeed, we have now entered the Holy Ground of our national celebrations where we should refrain from negative behaviour, reach out in love to our neighbour and do our part to right the wrongs in family, community, parish and country.

"And you shall consecrate the 50th year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants," declares Leviticus 25:10. "It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan." In ancient times, slaves were freed in jubilee celebrations - in our case we should be freeing ourselves from old politics and prejudice. Love more and judge less!

In response to my column on the historic African apology for slavery recently given by the Archbishop of Accra Most Rev Charles Palmer Buckle, Lifeline Expedition representative David Pott wrote: "I was deeply moved to read your recent article in the Jamaica Observer. It was sent to me by my friend Joseph Zintseme who is the main leader and African representative of the Lifeline Expedition. I'm sure you'll be very interested to know that the Lifeline Expedition has been bringing an apology for slavery around the North Atlantic world since 2000. This has definitely included the African apology often given by Joseph Zintseme."

Then he gave us some wonderful news. "The Lifeline Expedition will be coming to Jamaica between July 25 and August 8... We pray that our visit will continue to build on the good work that the Archbishop from Ghana has begun and that this will be an amazing Jubilee time in Jamaica."

Please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X35cb4a7gg to see how the white folks on this expedition parade through communities in yokes and chains asking for the forgiveness of those whose ancestors were enslaved.

Just a few years ago, former Australian Prime Minister David Rudd made an emotional apology on behalf of his government to citizens who had been stolen from their aboriginal families and raised in white families. I had suggested then an apology that our leaders should offer the terrorised people in certain communities of Jamaica who are still enslaved by gang warfare.

These gangs were said to have had political links but we are now hearing that this is no longer the case. We dearly hope this is so and we hope our leaders and those who provided the means will offer this apology: "We apologise for our complicity with thugs who have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Jamaicans. For the pain, suffering and hurt of these victims, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. For our divisive strategies, pitting parent against child, brother against sister, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry."

But we cannot blame the politicians alone. We the people are the far greater majority than the 63 in Gordon House and the 226 in the parish councils. We who do not experience the terror of inner-city gang warfare, and others who through education have migrated from the clutches of the "area leader" are also accountable.

Enjoying Hope Gardens

This Golden Jubilee requires us to become a part of the healing. There are myriad opportunities in your churches, and various community groups. Last Saturday, several corporate donors sponsored inner-city children at a Hope Zoo Fun Day in aid of Food for the Poor. Some had never been to Hope Gardens before and rolled around happily on the grassy lawns of the beautifully restored zoo.

It made us wonder - do their parents know admission to Hope Gardens is free? Are their parents around at all? So here is a simple thing we can do - take a few disadvantaged children to Hope Gardens. A wise person once said, "People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care."

We have been hearing the complaints regarding trade imbalance with Caricom and the rest of the world. One can imagine that some of these complaints are being made at fancy dinners featuring imported delicacies. My friend Audrey Grant said one day while she was shopping she suddenly decided to seek out Jamaican-made products. "I stopped and examined the stuff in my trolley," she said, "and ended up putting back over 80 per cent of what I had, substituting Jamaican products with little price difference." Now that is something we can all do. Indeed, if we substitute fresh instead of imported canned food, we will save money, our health and our economy.

Our superior tourism product

Sandals Whitehouse

A recent visit to Sandals Whitehouse reminded us of the superiority of Jamaica's tourism product. The service was outstanding, our tasty local food was heavily featured on the menus, and the weather was great. A US visitor commented that she was relieved to leave the over 100º temperatures in Virginia and enjoy Jamaica's lower temperatures, with the sea never too far away for a cooling dip!

Tourism Minister Wykeham McNeil is right to say that this may very well be the mainstay of our economy. However, he said there was a reduction in the numbers projected for Canadian visitors in the coming winter season. Let's say it straight: our headlines are not pretty, especially to folks from a peaceful and respectful environment like Canada.

We are a tiny rock of fewer than three million souls - let's fix our headlines by healing our communities. The government and the security forces cannot do it alone. The church and its people must develop some "Jesus-muscles" - increasing our work with the most marginalised, rebuking the tribalists and making this a Jubilee renaissance for a hopeful, waiting Jamaica.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/Now-for-a-Jubilee-renaissance_11903443#ixzz20QmJWq4p

Google buzz on Bolt

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JCC calls for Redemption and Unity

JCC Chairman - Archbishop Emeritus Donald Reece

Jamaica Council of Churches calls for "Redemption" and unity for 50th Anniversary 6 August 2012.
The Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) has called for "redemption," "liberation,"  "the righting of relationships,"  "restitution," and "debt-forgiveness" as the Country celebrates 50 Years of Independence on 6 August, 2102.  In an open letter to Churches, Politicians and Civil Society, JCC President RC Emeritus Archbishop Donald Reece called for an end to tribal politics  in Jamaica and in its place a year of Jubilee "to make our Christianity real: to forgive; to liberate and be liberated; to regularise relationships in families that are far from harmonious or life-giving; and to close the gap of "them and us" wherever we find it."
- Deacon Mike James

Read the full message from Archbishop Reece below:

We all agree that the celebration of this year's Independence is very special; it's a Jubilee Year observance.  From the perspective of our biblical tradition we consider such an observance expanding beyond mere joviality and merry-making.  It's a year of "redemption," "liberation,"  "the righting of relationships,"  "restitution," and "debt-forgiveness" (cf. Lev. 25).
Given these biblical characteristics of a Jubilee Year, the Jamaica Council of Churches is encouraging the membership of our Churches, the political directorate of each major Parties as well as the rank and file of the electorate and civil society to get a firm grip on the spiritual understanding of "Jamaica 50." Right now in our society there is a tremendous amount of "cass cass" and the usual tribal politics that we, as Christian followers of political Parties, have accepted as the norm.  This Jubilee Year is a call to make our Christianity real: to forgive; to liberate and be liberated; to regularise relationships in families that are far from harmonious or life-giving; and to close the gap of "them and us" wherever we find it.
Might this "Jamaica 50" not be an appropriate occasion to challenge our congregants and our political leaders to take the higher ground of nationhood, which takes into consideration the characteristics of Jubilee?  Proper to our situation is the unity we ought to seek as one people under God—a people forged by bitter, inhumane slavery, demeaning indentureship and the accompanying struggles resulting in freedom and liberation.
Conversely, the lower ground will forever plague us: divisiveness, negativity, the inability to work together for the common good for all Jamaicans, greed, and political one-upmanship.  St. Paul's admonition to the Galatians holds true for us today in Jamaica: "If you go snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, you had better watch or you will destroy the whole community" [Gal. 5: 15].  Where can we find the caliber statesmen/women who will eschew the lower ground for the salvation of the community?  Where?
The Jamaica Council of Churches makes this urgent public appeal to one and all to seek the higher ground which is in keeping with the lofty ideals enshrined in our nation's motto, our national anthem, and our pledge.  "Jamaica 50" demands that higher ground now!
+Donald J. Reece  
 Archbishop Emeritus of Kingston
President of the Jamaica Council of Churches
29 June 2012
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

We forward – triumphantly!

Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Most Reverend Charles Palmer Buckle 

Jean Lowrie-Chin | Jamaica Observer | MON 2 JUL 12

There we were in Jamaica’s National Arena, celebrating 500 years of Catholic Witness in Jamaica, and Jamaica’s 50^th Anniversary of Independence last Sunday.  We had expected to be addressed by the charismatic Archbishop Charles Dufour, and were a bit disappointed when we noted that it was the visiting Archbishop of Accra, Ghana who would be giving the homily. 

Quickly, disappointment turned to awe.  The goodly Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle confessed to us that there was some sadness mixed with the joy he felt to be with us.  Little did we know that he himself would be making history on that stage – by making the first apology we had ever heard from an African leader. 

“I apologise for the acts of my ancestors for selling your ancestors into slavery,” he declared.  “Please join me as we sing…”  At this point I expected to hear a song like “Amazing Grace.”  But no!  Archbishop Palmer-Buckle invited us to sing: “Redemption Song”!

“How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look?” – his strong voice rang through the very National Arena where Bob Marley had lain in state 31 years before.  We, his emotional congregation sang with him, “But my hand was made strong, by the hand of the Almighty. We forward in this generation – triumphantly!”

Bob Marley: "Redemption song - songs of freedom"

And so we sang – every word, every line from beginning to end – while some sisters and brothers stood and raised their hands to punctuate the searing words. And as we ended with, “Redemption song – songs of freedom – redemption song ….”  the healing washed over us and the Archbishop announced, “Now we are connected.”

Further, he reminded us that it was our Marcus Mosiah Garvey whose teachings had inspired African leaders to work towards self-government.  I wonder if Archbishop Palmer-Buckle knows that towards the end of his life, Garvey converted to Catholicism.

We the sponsors of young people receiving the sacrament of Confirmation at the Assembly, had dreaded the six-hour stretch of rehearsal and worship.  However, we hardly noticed the time after the Archbishop spoke – such is the power of the Spirit which spoke through this brilliant Ghanaian.