Wellesley Bolt, the father of multi-Olympics gold medal sprint legend, Usain Bolt, has died.
According to outlets, Wellesley passed away at a medical facility in Kingston, Jamaica, just after being taken there from his home in Trelawny. Residents in his community said that he had been ill ever since suffering from a stroke "some time ago."
A member of Wellesley's local community said: "He got a stroke, and I don’t think he ever recovered from it. He used to play cricket in his younger days, and I believe he became a big track and field fan when Bolt began making a name in the sport.”
The outlet also spoke to Glen Mills, who was "like a second father" to Usain. He shared of Wellesley, "Bolt always spoke highly of him and the influence he had over his upbringing.
“He was a strict disciplinarian I understand, who always guided him and saw to it that he was on the right path." Wellesley's impact was in no way lost on his son, either.
World 100metre record-holder, Usain, discussed his father's role in helping him choose to pursue track and field in a recent interview with musician, Wayne Marshall. "The[sprint coach started to complain to my father and say, ‘Usain is not coming to training…,” he said.
“Because I’m going to cricket…,” he said. “After a while, my father comes and says to me, — explains to me that running is what I have to do because there’s too much politics in cricket.”
Usain concluded, "After grade 7, my father said ‘no, no, no.
“’You have to focus, man.’ You’re very good at sprinting also, so do that one.’”
Wellesley is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and three children: Usain, Sadiki, and Christine Bolt-Hylton. He was 68.
