Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Culture
CultureEntertainmentSports

This #Jamaican Hashtag May Have Been the Best Part of the Night After Usain Bolt’s Historic Win

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)
Usain Bolt in Olympic semifinals (Twitter)

Usain Bolt in Olympic semifinals (Twitter)

Usain Bolt won gold in the men’s 100-meter Olympic race Sunday night, his third straight win for the event. The track and field star made history for being the first to ever do so. Afterward, his victory inspired several memes in celebration of his gold medal.

According to ESPN, Bolt took off in .155 seconds, a typically slow start for the 29-year-old. It didn’t matter, though, because the gold medalist finished in 9.81 seconds, gaining the lead over initial front-runner American Justin Gatlin. He finished just 0.08 behind the Jamaican at 9.89 seconds.

Bolt was not worried about his distant start, calling the race “brilliant.”

“I didn’t go so fast, but I’m so happy I won,” he told the sports outlet. “I told you guys I was going to do it.”

After attendees chanted “Bolt, Bolt, Bolt” at the Rio De Janerio, Brazil facility, the #Jamaican hashtag sprung up on Twitter, hilariously putting Bolt at the center of pride for the country.

A user by the name Luke Cripwalker used the now-famous semi-finals photo to describe himself running away from deadlines, responsibilities and sleep.

https://twitter.com/sporker_/status/764991901535797249

Ashley C. Ford typed a possible thought Bolt had as he took the lead.

https://twitter.com/iSmashFizzle/status/764997170227507200

@reginaapaigee tweeted a photo covered in Jamaican flags to celebrate the nation’s feelings on the big win.

And used a scene from “The Wolf of Wall Street” to drive the point home.

@FireinFreetown tweeted a photo throwing shade to non-Jamaican Caribbeans, using silver medalist Gatlin’s photo.

https://twitter.com/FireinFreetown/status/765007888599449602

They also used Bolt’s semifinals image to demonstrate “racing to conclusions.”

https://twitter.com/FireinFreetown/status/764986961144709124

@dante2534 shared his Jamaican fiancé’s reaction to NBC reporter Bob Costas’ claim that Bolt is more famous than Bob Marley.

https://twitter.com/dante2534/status/764999738852683776

@Namastaywoke tweeted two photos showing national pride.

https://twitter.com/Namastaywoke/status/765019489213747200

https://twitter.com/Namastaywoke/status/765019757645074432

@kidnoble proclaimed himself Jamaican that night.

@Kelroydaily posted a clip of what many Jamaicans did to celebrate Bolt’s win.

It made Christine Sydelko emotional.

https://twitter.com/csydelko/status/764981402743910401

Bolt will qualify for his favorite race, the men’s 200 meter, tomorrow and the men’s 4 x 100 is on Friday.

As the second-oldest 100-meter champion in Olympic history behind Linford Christie, the athlete said this will be his last Games.

“Somebody said I can become immortal,” Bolt told ESPN. “Two more medals to go and I can sign off. Immortal.”

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top