Bolt believes he is a national hero

Sprint legend Usain Bolt considers himself a national hero but doesn't expect to get official title while alive.

The double world-record holder over 100m and 200m is also flattered by public opinion that he is deserving of the country's highest national award.

Bolt is, however, doubtful that the award will be conferred on him anytime soon.

"We know we nah get national hero until we dead. Dat nah happen fi now so we just a put that out deh," he said during a recent appearance on The Fix podcast.

"Me nah siddung and stress bout dat."

However, the Trelawny native said it is always a joy to hear his name being mentioned with sporting greats such as Muhammad Ali and Jesse Owens.

"We always try to uplift Jamaica and put a positive spin out there because you know other people always a talk and it's always a negative energy. So we just a try put Jamaica on the map in a positive way," he said.

"So when you hear people a speak like that about you it mek you know say dem a recognise wha you a do and what you a try accomplish for the country."

Bolt responded yes when asked if he saw himself as a national hero.

"The amount of people who see me and say 'Usain, we love wha you do fi the country...you mek ghetto youths waah do better'. The overwhelming support and how people talk you can tell that I've made a real impact on the country," he reasoned.

A national poll conducted in January last year revealed that music icon Bob Marley was favoured over Bolt and cultural giant Louise Bennett, popularly known as 'Miss Lou', to be Jamaica's next national hero.

Forty-four per cent of respondents indicated that they would select Marley if he, along with Bolt and Miss Lou, were under consideration for the award, but only one could be named, according to the survey conducted by Don Anderson's Market Research Services Limited.

- Livern Barrett

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