New Delhi: Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold-winning sprinter has tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating at his home in Jamaica after last week celebrating his 34th birthday with a big bash mask-free.
Jamaica’s health ministry confirmed late on Monday that Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m and 200m distance, had tested positive after he posted a video on social media around midday saying he was waiting to hear back on his results.
In a video on Twitter, Bolt confirmed that he would go into self-isolation and said, “Good morning everybody. I’m confirmed of Covid-19. I did a test on Saturday.”
Watch he said:
Stay Safe my ppl ?? pic.twitter.com/ebwJFF5Ka9
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 24, 2020
“[I’m] trying to be responsible so I’m going to stay in, and stay away from my friends. And also, I am having no symptoms, so I am going to quarantine myself,” he added.
“I will wait and see what is the protocol and how should I go about quarantining myself, from the Ministry of Health. Just to be safe, I have quarantined myself, and just to take it easy. Be safe over there.”
Bolt holds the world record in 100m and 200m events. He is an 11-time world champion, winning consecutive gold medals in 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events from 2009 to 2015.
Bolt said he took the test on Saturday, the day after he celebrated his birthday at a bash where partygoers danced to the hit “Lockdown” by Jamaican reggae singer Koffee.
Best birthday ever ?? pic.twitter.com/gf16igLFjA
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 22, 2020
“Best birthday ever,” Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2017, wrote on Twitter, posting a photo of himself holding his daughter, Olympia, who was born in May.
