Tweet
PM blasts critics of Olympic champion Usain BoltPAT ROXBOROUGH-WRIGHT, Editor-at-Large Western Bureau
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Prime Minister Bruce Golding (centre) celebrates Jamaica's victory in the men's 4 x100-metre relay with Housing Minister Horace Chang (to his immediate left) and sports enthusiasts from western Jamaica at the Pier One restaurant in Montego Bay yesterday. (Photo: Pat Roxborough-Wright)
MONTEGO BAY, St James - Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday weighed in on the controversy over double Olympic champion Usain Bolt's exuberant victory celebrations on the track, which have been dubbed unsportsmanlike by Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee.
"Red-eye... bad mind...They must stop beat up on the young man... they just can't take the fact that such a young boy broke double records; them must tek wey themself," Golding told journalists at the Pier One restaurant in Montego Bay where several of western Jamaica's sports enthusiasts gathered to watch the men's and women's 4 x 100m relays over a complimentary breakfast.
Golding dismissed Rogge's view that Bolt, who smashed the 100m and 200m Olympic records in Beijing this week, displayed disrespect by giving himself a congratulatory slap on the chest just seconds before crossing the finish line in the 100-metre dash and taking off for a solo victory lap without congratulating his competitors in the 200-metre event.
Trinidadian Ato Boldon, a former sprinter, also criticised Bolt's displays following his golden 100m run.
However, Bolt yesterday brushed aside his critics, in an interview with the AFP.
"That is just me, I am just having fun.
"The crowd loves it, they look forward to seeing me come out; they want me to do it, they want me to put on a show, so I give them what they want," said the Jamaican Olympic champion.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Prime Minister Bruce Golding (centre) celebrates Jamaica's victory in the men's 4 x100-metre relay with Housing Minister Horace Chang (to his immediate left) and sports enthusiasts from western Jamaica at the Pier One restaurant in Montego Bay yesterday. (Photo: Pat Roxborough-Wright) MONTEGO BAY, St James - Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday weighed in on the controversy over double Olympic champion Usain Bolt's exuberant victory celebrations on the track, which have been dubbed unsportsmanlike by Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee.
"Red-eye... bad mind...They must stop beat up on the young man... they just can't take the fact that such a young boy broke double records; them must tek wey themself," Golding told journalists at the Pier One restaurant in Montego Bay where several of western Jamaica's sports enthusiasts gathered to watch the men's and women's 4 x 100m relays over a complimentary breakfast.
Golding dismissed Rogge's view that Bolt, who smashed the 100m and 200m Olympic records in Beijing this week, displayed disrespect by giving himself a congratulatory slap on the chest just seconds before crossing the finish line in the 100-metre dash and taking off for a solo victory lap without congratulating his competitors in the 200-metre event.
Trinidadian Ato Boldon, a former sprinter, also criticised Bolt's displays following his golden 100m run.
However, Bolt yesterday brushed aside his critics, in an interview with the AFP.
"That is just me, I am just having fun.
"The crowd loves it, they look forward to seeing me come out; they want me to do it, they want me to put on a show, so I give them what they want," said the Jamaican Olympic champion.
Comment