Vincentian students grill Usain Bolt at Kiddie Media Conference in Jamaica

Vincentian students Kareem Davis and Zaronique Forbes were among children from the Caribbean who interviewed the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt.

Davis and Forbes posed questions to Bolt, the world and Olympic sprint champion and Digicel ambassador, during a live one-hour television broadcast from the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica on Tuesday this week.{{more}}

Seven-year-old Forbes, a grade two student at the Kingstown Preparatory School, quizzed Bolt about what drives him on the track by asking “what motivates you to run so fast?” To which the sprint king replied: “Because I want to be a best. I want to be as great as I possibly can, so I train hard and it motivates me to go out there and to do my best.”

Forbes was followed by nine-year-old Davis, also a student of the Kingstown Preparatory School.

The grade four athlete, who had the word “BOLT” shaved into his hairstyle, asked Usain: “When you are finished running a race, why do you do this sign….?” Then he proceeded to illustrate Bolt’s unique move of drawing back his hand as if shooting an arrow.

Bolt laughed and responded: “That’s my signature move and people enjoy seeing me do it… anytime I’m finished….”

Bolt simultaneously broke out into the move then said to Davis, “I think I do it better than you though,” as the other children laughed and applauded.

More questions were asked of the Jamaican sprinter by the other children, who grilled him in areas ranging from his vehicles to his fellow athletes, his likes, his fears and number of girlfriends, to which he replied he has only one.

Vincentians Davis and Forbes said that they were very excited to meet Bolt, and to be able to interact with him.

“I felt good. I wasn’t nervous. I was excited and I wanted to give him a hug,” Forbes commented, while Davis said that he was impressed with Bolt’s answer to his question.

“He gave a good answer. It was nice meeting him and talking to him,” Davis said.

The youngsters also presented Bolt with gifts: Forbes gave him a postcard that she designed herself, and a replica of the St Vincent parrot, while Davis presented him with a St Vincent and the Grenadines flag bandana.

Davis and Forbes said they were extremely grateful to Digicel for giving them the opportunity to meet Bolt, who is currently in preparation for what he indicated would be his final Olympic games.

Bolt is the world and Olympic record holder in the 100 and 200 metres sprints, and also anchors the Jamaican 4X100 metres relay team.

The Digicel ‘Bring the Beat’ campaign aims to highlight and support the Caribbean region’s athletes participating in the Olympics, which is slated to kick off in about six weeks time.

Bolt is among the Digicel ambassadors who are promoting the campaign, which also includes a song from Trinidad and Tobago’s soca star Machel Montano.

Forbes and Davis were accompanied to Jamaica by Digicel SVG Marketing manager Danielle Cupid, Claudia Forbes, Zeronique’s mom and Junior Jarvis of the local media.