Usain Bolt's Father Passes Away

^{Apr 2, 2025 | Edition #109}

👋 Hey, Speedsters!

With the Grand Slam Track and the Miramar Invitational on deck, this weekend is stacked with firepower! Two Caribbean sprint queens make their long-awaited return. The rivalry is Back On! But first, we’ll take a moment to honor a legend’s great loss.

PS: Shoutout to a reader who remarked, "Great information about what to look forward to in this 2025 outdoor track season." Your words fueled us and inspired today’s Story 2!

📈 Trending News

The Man Who Made Bolt… BOLT, Passes Away 

Jamaica just lost one of its greatest pillars—not the one who ran, but the one who made running matter. Wellesley Bolt, father of the fastest man in history, passed away on April 1 in a Kingston medical facility after battling a long illness.

Usain’s journey to immortality wasn’t just about raw talent. It started with a father who knew exactly where his son belonged. As a kid, Usain was obsessed with cricket, but Wellesley had other ideas. One day after Grade 7, Wellesley sat him down. Cricket? “Too political.” Track? “You're the boss of yourself.” No favorites, no coach’s bias—just pure, unfiltered talent. And Wellesley wasn’t just a dad who talked a big game; he made sure his son stayed on course.

When Bolt started skipping track practice for cricket, his sprint coach brought Papa Bolt in. And he handled business. “No, no, no. You need to focus, man. You're very good at sprinting, do that one.” That one decision? It led to 8 Olympic golds, a world record, and a legend unlike any other.  Watch Usain Bolt’s emotional winning embrace with his father!

Also, while his son took over the world, he never left home. 16 years at the coffee board, then running a small pink grocery shop in Trelawny. Even after Usain became a global icon, Wellesley stayed rooted, selling provisions, living simply, and keeping things humble. And here’s what’s even more surreal…

The father and son retired together! In 2017, Usain ran his last professional race at the World Championships in London at 31. Here’s a throwback to that unforgettable moment. Just a month earlier, Wellesley, at 61, had shuttered his store after 15 years. His son was retiring. So did he. A poetic farewell to two legendary careers, side by side.

While the world knew Usain as the unstoppable force on the track, it was Wellesley who quietly built the foundation for greatness. Now, Wellesley Bolt may have left this world, but his impact? That lives on forever. Rest easy, King.

Read More: Usain Bolt’s Father Defeated His Fear of Air Travel!

📰 Top Stories of Today

💌 Sha’Carri Richardson sparks speculation over Miramar appearance while turning the spotlight on Christian Coleman - Full Story

😲 Track community is divided as Michael Johnson confirms Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Grand Slam Track schedule - Full Story

🏃‍♀️ Sha’Carri Richardson shows love for her family member as he gears up for his own track and field journey - Full Story

🌟 Noah Lyles makes a calculated move as he looks to win fans' trust with his latest track and field announcement! - Full Story

⚔️ Caught in mixed feelings, Julien Alfred confirms next events after skipping Grand Slam Track - Full Story 

See what else is trending in the world of track & field - Click here

🌟 Track Stories

Shericka Jackson & Julien Alfred Are Off to Miramar!

This Saturday at the Miramar Invitational, two of track’s biggest names are stepping onto the track, and it’s about to get real. Shericka Jackson is making her long-awaited return, and Julien Alfred has been killing it all season! Let’s set some expectations!

First up, Jackson. The last time we saw her was eight months ago. She was cruising at the Gyulai István Memorial until her season ended with a grimace and injury. Watch her limping to the finish line at the very end. Since then, she’s kept it quiet, only dipping into a couple of 60m races in Jamaica (7.17s and 7.14s). But—this is the reigning world 200m champion. The fastest woman alive over the distance. And whether she’s running the 100m or 200m this weekend, she’s coming to prove a point.

Now, while Jackson was off the radar, Julien Alfred was commanding! The St. Lucian sprinter held off Sha’Carri Richardson, claimed the 100m Olympic title, and grabbed a 200m silver for good! Here’s a refresher! Now, she’s making a pit stop at Miramar for the 300m—ready to stack up gold medals this season:

• 🏆 300m indoor – New Balance Grand Prix (Won)

• 🏆 400m indoor – Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational (Won)

• 🏆 4x400m relay – Texas Relays (Left Team USA in the dust)

And the best part is that this isn’t even her main event! Just a little flex before she gets back to her “babies“ (100m & 200m). Oh, and Sha’Carri Richardson was rumored to join. Then came a cryptic IG story, and suddenly, she’s off the star list. But if she pops up, get the popcorn!

Watch: Sha’Carri Richardson Scratched Out or Is This An April Fool’s Prank?

📊 POLL OF THE DAY

Last Poll Result: We asked, “Who Had the Fastest 100m Time (Men) in 2024 Outdoors?”—and the results are in! A commanding 47% of you backed Kishane Thompson, and guess what? You nailed it! Thompson blazed through the Jamaican Trials with a 9.77-second sprint, officially clocking the fastest time of the year. Meanwhile, Noah Lyles’ Olympic-winning 9.79 had some believing he might’ve held the top spot, but it wasn’t quite enough!

And now, for the fun part—one lucky voter gets a shout-out in our next edition! So stay tuned and keep those votes and comments coming!

🏅Beyond the Medals

Gout Gout Fever Causes a Commercial Boom!

What happened in Melbourne wasn’t just a track meet—it was a fan frenzy, all thanks to 17-year-old sprint sensation Gout Gout. Why? Well, he packed an entire stadium—something that hasn’t happened at an Australian athletics meet since 2001, when the stadium hosted two IAAF Grand Prix events. We’re talking 10,000 screaming fans packing Lakeside Stadium for a one-day track meet. And the numbers don’t lie.

Athletics Australia’s CEO Simon Hollingsworth straight up admitted that after Gout confirmed his 200m entry, ticket sales exploded 60% over last year. Do you know how crazy that was? Get a glimpse of the hyped crowd here!

"Athletics is back in a big way," And boy, was Hollingsworth right. The Maurie Plant Meet felt like a flashback to the Sydney 2000 Olympics era. Back then, frenzy was understandable—with middle-distance icons like Hicham El Guerrouj and Bernard Lagat. This time, even with an Olympic champion like Letsile Tebogo in the lineup, the spotlight belonged to Gout Gout.

Even Cathy Freeman—who at just 16, won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and had the entire nation on its feet—is tipping her hat. “He’s probably smarter than I was at that age. He’s definitely quicker,” Watch her sprinting at the Games here. That’s coming from a woman who carried an entire nation on her back at the Sydney Olympics.

And sure, Gout technically lost the race to Lachlan Kennedy by 0.04s. But let’s be real—he won where it mattered. The crowd, the hype, the future of Australian sprinting!

Watch: Cathy Freeman Won Her First Olympic Gold On Australian Ground and The Home Crowd Loved It!

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

💌 FEEDBACK