Jamaica to use Usain Bolt to woo tourists

 

Jamaica expects the electrifying Olympic wins of the world’s fastest sprinter Usain Bolt will enhance its image and help in wooing more foreign tourists to the picturesque Caribbean country.

“The impact of Bolt’s performance at the London Olympics will have an effect on the island for many years and will help us to attract more tourists,” Jamaican Tourism Minister Wykeham McNeill said.

McNeill said the interest in Jamaica, known for its serene butterscotch beaches with some of the best seafood eateries in the world, has reached its zenith since Bolt successfully defended in London his titles obtained in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

25-year old Bolt, who won Gold in 100m, 200m and 100x4m relay in the London Olympics, has not been far from the national tourism diffusion in Jamaica since he recorded three promotion videos in 2010. 

He anchored three promotional videos for the tourist board in 2010, and several recent travel stories have focused on Jamaica’s northern parish of Trelawny, the area where the “Lightning” Bolt sprinter grew up.

Bolt honours Farah with a ‘Mobot’

Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Mo Farah clowning around together on top of the podium — the final moments of the last night of athletics action in the Olympic stadium. A capacity crowd of 80,000 had stayed to watch Farah’s medal ceremony following his victory in the 5,000m, and they were treated to a surprise as the Jamaican triple gold medallist emerged from the tunnel to join his British friend.

The pair swapped celebrations, Farah performing Bolt’s “To Di World” — a Jamaican dance hall move that has become Bolt’s signature pose — while Bolt put his hands over his head in an M-shape to do the “Mobot”. The stadium erupted.


The two athletes have known each other for more than a decade, since Bolt came to prominence as the youngest sprinter to win the 200m world junior title aged 15. “Me and Mo, we go way back,” Bolt said. “We have the same agent [Ricky Simms], we have been through ups and downs. I’ve seen him train. It was good, it was a joy for me to see him get the double gold medal, so it was wonderful.”Inspired act

After watching Farah win gold in the 5,000m, Bolt said he was inspired to perform the Mobot on crossing the line in his final race of the Games — the men’s 4x100m relay in which the Jamaican quartet set a world record of 36.84sec.


“Before the Olympics I said I’m going to do that,” the 25-year-old said. “It escaped me two times [at Grand Prix races] because I was so happy that I won. But before I came out [for the relay] I watched him in his 5,000m and I made sure I remembered to do it. So for me it was fun.” Farah, who baulks at the suggestion he is near Bolt’s legendary status, said it was an honour to share the stage with such an icon. “It was good, he’s a great athlete, a legend ... He did the Mobot and I did the ‘To the world’ I can’t believe he did the Mobot as he was breaking a world record, we will be looking back in a year’s time — a world record and he did the Mobot. I never thought it would take off.”


Farah, whose wife is expecting twins soon, paid tribute to the “genius” methods of his American coach, Alberto Salazar.

In 16 months, the coach known for his unorthodox use of machinery such as an underwater treadmill, and a punishing work ethic that means Farah keeps a treadmill in his bedroom, has elevated the 29-year-old Briton from double European champion to double Olympic champion.