The eight-time Olympic gold medalist and double world-record holder over 100m and 200m acknowledged the widespread belief that he is deserving of Jamaica’s highest national honor but remains doubtful that it will be bestowed upon 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," Bolt remarked during an appearance on The Fix podcast. "Me nah siddung and stress bout dat."
Despite this, Bolt expressed gratitude for being mentioned alongside global sporting legends 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 negative energy. So we just a try put Jamaica on the map in a positive way."
When asked if he personally considers himself a national hero, Bolt responded affirmatively. "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."
A national poll conducted in January last year indicated that Bob Marley was the public’s top choice for Jamaica’s next national hero, surpassing Bolt and cultural icon Louise Bennett, also known as 'Miss Lou.' The survey, conducted by Don Anderson's Market Research Services Limited, revealed that 44% of respondents favored Marley for the honor if only one candidate could be chosen.
Ongoing Social Tensions
As the debate on national hero status continues, the Spanish Town community remains focused on seeking justice for the Spike brothers, pressing authorities for a thorough and impartial investigation into their deaths. The dual narratives surrounding the fatal shooting—whether an act of self-defense by law enforcement or an unjustified use of force—continue to fuel heated discussions both on the streets and online.