Bolt involved in minor car crash in Jamaica but is 'fine and resting at home,' publicist says | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Cloudy  2.2°C

Bolt involved in minor car crash in Jamaica but is 'fine and resting at home,' publicist says

Usain Bolt, left, of Jamaica reacts after winning the men's 100m, second place Asafa Powell, right, of Jamaica at the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting at Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway, Thursday, June 7, 2012. (AP Photo / Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix) NORWAY OUT

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Usain Bolt was involved in a minor car crash shortly before dawn Sunday in his Caribbean homeland of Jamaica but was not hurt, according to the publicist for the world's fastest man.

Carole Beckford said the three-time Olympic champion was returning from a party with friends in the early hours Sunday when he was involved in a "fender bender" in Jamaica's capital of Kingston.

"There were no injuries at all. He is fine and resting at home," Beckford told The Associated Press in Jamaica.

Police in the Half-Way-Tree area where the accident took place say they are still investigating, but it appears that the sprinting champ somehow lost control of his black BMW and swerved into guard rails shortly after 5 a.m. local time.

Fellow Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell was travelling in another car at the time and was at the scene of Bolt's accident.

"My friend and countryman (Bolt) is ok after a fender bender," Powell's Twitter account said Sunday morning.

Powell's Twitter feed dispelled rumours that he was also hurt: "Contrary to the news, I was in another car."

Bolt and Powell had just returned to Jamaica after competing at the Diamond League meet in Norway. At that meet, Bolt recovered from a poor start to win the 100 metres in 9.79 seconds, beating Powell by 0.06 seconds.

Bolt remains undefeated this year. The Jamaican star hasn't lost since failing to defend his title in the 2011 world championships in South Korea after being disqualified in the final for a false start.

It's not the first time Bolt has been in a worrying car crash in Jamaica.

In 2009, Bolt crashed a BMW into a ditch along a highway. He required minor surgery on his left foot after stepping onto thorns while getting out of the wreckage.

A month after the accident, Bolt told reporters: "After something like that you look at life through and over, and look at what has gone wrong — where you should improve or should be careful."

Bolt's coaches could not be reached for comment Sunday. Beckford said she would release further details when they became available.

___

David McFadden on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmcfadd

News from © The Associated Press, 2012
The Associated Press

  • Popular kelowna News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile