Olympic legend posts heartbreaking photo with major change on his social platforms

Usain Bolt has reacted to the news of his father, Wellesley Bolt’s, death for the first time since the heartbreaking occurence.

For the first time, track legend Usain Bolt has publicly mourned the death of his father, Wellesley Bolt, by sharing a heartbreaking photo on his social media platforms.

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist who has been silent since his dad’s death on Tuesday morning, finally summoned the courage to react to it publicly.

With a special post on his social media platforms, Bolt posted a picture of them together using ‘farewell’ and ‘praying’ emojis as his caption. He also changed his social page headers’ using the same photo.

On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Jamaica Gleaner broke the news on Wellesley Bolt’s death at 68 years old after prolonged illness.

Until his death, he ran a shop in Sherwood Content, Trelawny for 15 years up to 2017. He will later manage a local grocery store with his wife Jennifer, providing for their family in a community with limited resources like running water and paved roads.

Wellesley has often been credited for Usain’s career success as he played vital roles right from his high school years and carried out actions to keep him disciplined.

As more track stars arrive in Kinston for the Grand Slam Track, Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is already on ground looking in shape for her first-ever race in Jamaica.

During Usain Bolt’s career as a track athlete, his dad was at his major championships apart from Beijing 2008 when he missed him winning his first Olympic 100m and 200m gold medals.

Despite his son’s global fame, Wellesley remained rooted in Sherwood Content, resisting the urge to leave even as Usain’s success brought improvements like better infrastructure to their village.

He maintained a low profile but remained a constant and supportive presence in Usain’s life, providing the foundation upon which the sprint icon built his legacy.