Great Britain loves sports and as evidenced in London at the 30th Olympiad, the British loves Usain Bolt.
From the day the athlete arrived at his training camp at Birmingham University, reporters, fans and curious Londoners stalked the man known as the fastest on earth.
On arriving at the Olympic Village, a security force had to ensure his daily arrivals and departure. While inside, he was hounded by volunteers, workers and fellow Olympians in search of autographs.
His entrance inside the Olympic Stadium was no casual walk.
Spectators cheered each day as if HRH Queen Elizabeth II had parachuted into the venue.
Bolt obliged each cheer, clowning, mimicking England’s best 10,000 metres runner and even hi-fived a few workers and volunteers.
Prince Harry, one of the royal cheerleaders did not miss Bolt’s record-breaking runs.
An NBC commentator said the crown prince arrived at the stadium in time to watch Bolt run the 220 meter race, the same one he blazed to victory in Beijing, China, four years ago. The prince had already watched him win the gold in the 100 metres race and returned to see the athlete he visited at his training camp in Kingston, Jamaica earlier this year.
All eyes were on Bolt, he said.
With a capacity 85,000 crowd inside the Olympic venue, Bolt’s mettle was tested and scrutinized by some of the world’s best analysts, athletes, critics and fans.
According to the announcer, sitting in a vantage from a curve, he was able to see the prince as well as Bolt.
“As soon as the race ended, right after Bolt won, the prince ran out of his seat,” he said.
Undoubtedly, Prince Harry headed straight to Bolt and Team Jamaica to offer his compliments on his world-record breaking and Olympic back-to-back run.
The prince was not the only celebrity fan.
Great Britain’s double gold winner Mohammed “Mo” Farah publicly displayed his admiration for the Jamaican, superstar.
After winning his second gold, Mo tried to out-do Bolt by doing sit-ups comparable to the push-ups Bolt demonstrated after his win running the 200 metres.
Like Bolt’s “to the world” signature pose, the Somalia-born Mo draws cheers and jubilation with his Mobot.
The overhead, heart-shaped gesture seems to fire up Brits watching the sport. And although Mo knows how, Bolt also knows how to please British crowds.
Saturday, the final day of track and field events, the two traded mimicry by amusing them demonstrating each other’s pose.
The sprinter made covers each day he won races.
