Usain Bolt is without a doubt still one of the world’s premiere athletes when he is out on the track, and now he is proving to be one of the best in the world when off of it, as well. Bolt recently made a trip back to his native Jamaica, where he donated £838,000 (approximately $1.3 million) to his old school, William Knibb Memorial.
In addition to the financial donation, Bolt donated a humongous amount of sporting equipment for the students and staff, including 50 pairs of soccer boots and shin pads for the school team, in addition to bats, pads, clothing, gloves, and balls for the cricket team. The school’s track and field program has been receiving equipment from Bolt’s sponsor PUMA since 2002, per his request.
Bolt made the donations after the school’s athletic programs were threatened due to financial constraints. When asked about the generous gift, Bolt told The Jamaica Gleaner he was just glad to give back:
“William Knibb played an integral role in the athlete that I am today so any time they call; or anything I can do to give back, I am more than happy.”
Bolt, a two-time world record holder and six-time gold medalist, also made time to take photos with the students.
Being that Bolt is clearly a man of charity, we’ll give him a pass on forgetting to pay his $15,000 bar tab in London.
(Via The Jamaica Gleaner)
