Jamaica hails Bolt for lightning gold strikes

By Horace Helps

KINGSTON (Reuters) - Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding was bursting with pride on the phone to Reuters track side correspondent Gene Cherry, minutes after Usain "Lightning" Bolt struck Olympic double sprint gold.

"Usain Bolt is a super human being. The world has never seen anything like him," said Golding, whose Caribbean island erupted in wild celebrations and now lays claim to being the world's sprint factory.

"Not only is he physically the best in the world, but he has supreme confidence in himself and he knows how to deliver," Golding said after Bolt became the first man since American Carl Lewis in 1984 to win an Olympic double in the 100 and 200 metres.

For a small nation of just 2.7 million people that has major crime and poverty problems -- U.N. figures show it has one of highest murder rates in the world -- many of its citizens hoped the joyous unity triggered by Bolt would inspire a better future.

Bolt, who smashed the world records in both events and obliterated his opponents, has spearheaded a meteoric rise in fame for Jamaica's sprinters at the Beijing Games. Jamaicans swept the medals in the women's 100 metres.

"Jamaican athletes are the best. Jamaica is the sprint factory of the world," said Sports Minister Olivia Grange.

Across the world, Jamaica is perhaps best known as a beach holiday destination, for Bob Marley and reggae music, and for being an inspiration to Ian Fleming for his James Bond novels when he went to live on the island.

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