In the past two years, Usain Bolt has been the undisputed “World’s Fastest Man.” Bolt began forming his legacy at the age of 16 at the World Youth Championships in 2003 in Sherbrooke. The following year, Usain Bolt won the 200m dash at the World Junior Championships in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica.
In his home country of Jamaica, the speedy islander became known as Lightning bolt. Although the name on bolt’s birth certificate is “Usain Bolt,” there has been rumor of his name being created like a stage name so that people think of him as an insane bolt of lightning.
The humor in the name is purely coincidental. Another example of ironic names in track and field would be the Ukrainian pole vaulter Yevengy Grip, resembling the old expression, “Grip it, and rip it.”
At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Bolt set three world records in winning three gold medals and officially gained his hometown nickname of Lightning Bolt. At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Bolt returned to win three more gold medals and set two more world records.
With the 2012 London Olympics approaching, we can only speculate as to whether or not lightning will strike yet again.
George Wayda
-The Cardinal
