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Bolt to get BMW driving lessons in Germany
Gwaan Usain - a U a run tings. Perhaps you can give Mo a chaffeur job
Bolt to get BMW driving lessons in Germany
KAYON RAYNOR, Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt (left) examines a model of a BMW M3 presented to him by PUMA's CEO, Jochen Zeitz, for his birthday present during a press conference in Beijing, China, last month.
Plans are afoot by the Stewart Automotive Group, official distributors of BMW in Jamaica, to accommodate driving lessons for triple Olympic gold medallist and world record-holder Usain Bolt at the world famous 'M' driving school in Germany later this year.
This initiative comes weeks after Bolt's sports apparel sponsor PUMA, through its CEO, Jochen Zeitz, gifted the sprinter a custom made BMW M3 for his birthday present during a press conference in Beijing, China.
"Usain, I'm not sure we can top the medals you won this week, but we didn't want you to miss out on a birthday celebration," said Zeitz.
"So, we would like to present you with a special gift that we heard you've had your eye on in Jamaica. It's a fully-loaded BMW M3, and we'll be sending you the real thing when you get home," Zeits said at the August 23 news conference as he handed Bolt a miniature version of the car.
Moments before Bolt returned home to a heroe's welcome on Tuesday, chairman of Stewarts Motors, Richard Stewart, told the Observer of their plans to ensure that the world's fastest man gets the necessary training to manoeuvre the powerful sports car.
"We are very conscious of the fact that really and truly with a car of this nature we need to send him (Bolt) to what is called the BMW 'M' driver school at Nuremberg Ring in Germany," Stewart explained.
"So we are co-ordinating that with BMW, and of course we are looking forward to hosting him (Bolt) with BMW in Germany at a future date after we deliver the car here in Jamaica," he said, Bolt's manager, Norman Peart, told the Observer he is open to any plan that ensures the safety of the lanky sprinter. "They have offered to give him training courses in Germany, so he gets the full exposure to all the different features of the car so we will meet again and further iron out the logistics of it," Peart said, confirming that they just had preliminary talks with Stewart Motors as to their ideas.
"We know the M3 is a very powerful vehicle in terms of horse power, so we want to make sure that Usain understands the vehicle very well," Peart added.
Stewart noted that the car has been given the fast track on production.
"It will be produced, we hope the end of this month (September) and will be here in October, so we'll present it upon arrival at a special event," he disclosed. Meanwhile, Stewart also hinted that plans are being finalised for Bolt to get some training locally to handle the car in Jamaican conditions.
...Invited to football match by Real Madrid
MADRID, Spain (AP) - Real Madrid invited Olympic sprint champion and world record-holder Usain Bolt to visit the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and watch a match.
The club told The Associated Press yesterday that the 22-year-old Jamaican, who set records in both the 100 and 200 metres at the Beijing Games, has also been invited to meet strikers Raul Gonzalez and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The club did not specify which game Bolt would watch.
In an interview with the website of the Laureus foundation, Bolt said he had also been invited to train at the club. "I'll definitely go," Bolt said. "I think Raul and Van Nistelrooy are some of the best goalscorers ever. I've watched Van Nistelrooy from when he was with Manchester United, so I know he's a great guy."
Real Madrid could not immediately confirm that Bolt had been invited to train at the club as well as watch a match.
Last month, Bolt broke his own world record in the 100m, winning the gold medal at the Bird's Nest in 9.69 seconds. A few days later, he ran 19.30 in the 200, breaking the record set by Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Bolt also helped the Jamaican team win the 4x100 relay for his third gold medal of the games.
Bolt to get BMW driving lessons in Germany
KAYON RAYNOR, Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt (left) examines a model of a BMW M3 presented to him by PUMA's CEO, Jochen Zeitz, for his birthday present during a press conference in Beijing, China, last month.Plans are afoot by the Stewart Automotive Group, official distributors of BMW in Jamaica, to accommodate driving lessons for triple Olympic gold medallist and world record-holder Usain Bolt at the world famous 'M' driving school in Germany later this year.
This initiative comes weeks after Bolt's sports apparel sponsor PUMA, through its CEO, Jochen Zeitz, gifted the sprinter a custom made BMW M3 for his birthday present during a press conference in Beijing, China.
"Usain, I'm not sure we can top the medals you won this week, but we didn't want you to miss out on a birthday celebration," said Zeitz.
"So, we would like to present you with a special gift that we heard you've had your eye on in Jamaica. It's a fully-loaded BMW M3, and we'll be sending you the real thing when you get home," Zeits said at the August 23 news conference as he handed Bolt a miniature version of the car.
Moments before Bolt returned home to a heroe's welcome on Tuesday, chairman of Stewarts Motors, Richard Stewart, told the Observer of their plans to ensure that the world's fastest man gets the necessary training to manoeuvre the powerful sports car.
"We are very conscious of the fact that really and truly with a car of this nature we need to send him (Bolt) to what is called the BMW 'M' driver school at Nuremberg Ring in Germany," Stewart explained.
"So we are co-ordinating that with BMW, and of course we are looking forward to hosting him (Bolt) with BMW in Germany at a future date after we deliver the car here in Jamaica," he said, Bolt's manager, Norman Peart, told the Observer he is open to any plan that ensures the safety of the lanky sprinter. "They have offered to give him training courses in Germany, so he gets the full exposure to all the different features of the car so we will meet again and further iron out the logistics of it," Peart said, confirming that they just had preliminary talks with Stewart Motors as to their ideas.
"We know the M3 is a very powerful vehicle in terms of horse power, so we want to make sure that Usain understands the vehicle very well," Peart added.
Stewart noted that the car has been given the fast track on production.
"It will be produced, we hope the end of this month (September) and will be here in October, so we'll present it upon arrival at a special event," he disclosed. Meanwhile, Stewart also hinted that plans are being finalised for Bolt to get some training locally to handle the car in Jamaican conditions.
...Invited to football match by Real Madrid
MADRID, Spain (AP) - Real Madrid invited Olympic sprint champion and world record-holder Usain Bolt to visit the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and watch a match.
The club told The Associated Press yesterday that the 22-year-old Jamaican, who set records in both the 100 and 200 metres at the Beijing Games, has also been invited to meet strikers Raul Gonzalez and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The club did not specify which game Bolt would watch.
In an interview with the website of the Laureus foundation, Bolt said he had also been invited to train at the club. "I'll definitely go," Bolt said. "I think Raul and Van Nistelrooy are some of the best goalscorers ever. I've watched Van Nistelrooy from when he was with Manchester United, so I know he's a great guy."
Real Madrid could not immediately confirm that Bolt had been invited to train at the club as well as watch a match.
Last month, Bolt broke his own world record in the 100m, winning the gold medal at the Bird's Nest in 9.69 seconds. A few days later, he ran 19.30 in the 200, breaking the record set by Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Bolt also helped the Jamaican team win the 4x100 relay for his third gold medal of the games.
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