This is an Olympic year and once again, like in 2008, we will be looking to our athletes to make us feel good by bringing home a bounty of medals from the Games in London this summer.

Athletes like Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Veronica Campbell-Brown, and others are the ones who we will look to with our eyes pregnant with expectation.

However, once they get back some of us will start exhibiting our crab-in-the-barrel mentality, completely forgetting the events of the summer; assuming that our expectations are fulfilled. Just recently, I overheard a woman inside the national stadium slamming Bolt. I don't know why but she claimed that Bolt "too hype and gwaan like him reach". It was not the first time I have heard similar comments. I hear it from some of the schoolkids and I hear it from adults but while kids can say anything because they really don't understand anything, it is the adults that I am most disappointed in.

When Bolt was breaking records in high school setting the foundation for his amazing career to date, everybody loved him. He was shy, naïve, gangly and interesting. Now that he has grown up before our very eyes, the shyness has given way to confidence, the naivety has given way to assuredness. He is no longer gangly but well muscled and coordinated. He is also rich, very rich and has brought great value to brand Jamaica. For some reason, some people can't stand that. Hence the comment from that woman at the stadium and others who think it.

Here's the thing though; Bolt has reached. He has set world records in both short sprints at both the Olympic Games and at the World Championships. Those two events represent the pinnacle of the sport. With those records have come wealth and fame. If Bolt should so choose, I am sure he could retire now and not have to work another day until he dies. He can travel the world, sow his wild oats and come home and die an old, happy man. In my book that says he has 'reached'. The only thing he needs to do now is make some more money before he retires. That's the only place he hasn't reached yet.

worldwide media coverage

Bolt's confidence stems from his incredible ability to run faster than any man has ever run before, and for the huge entertainment value that he brings to a sport devoid of interesting personalities. Just check the worldwide media coverage that he has got for his 'race' with Prince Harry. Even Puma, his prime sponsor, admits they could not have asked for better coverage and in the coming months their sales figures will reflect as such. When the prince was planning his schedule, I am almost dead certain that he didn't want to meet anyone else except Bolt. Why? 'Because him reach'.

These days, track and field athletes - when they are not competing, are pretty invisible. None of them want to admit to a rivalry and none of them want to say anything even remotely controversial. And we wonder why track struggles to draw a crowd outside of the major games. Bolt brings a refreshing change to the sprints. His pre-race antics are always amusing and he gets even better in interviews. He has a sense of humour and I think that's cool. Some of our other athletes could use a dose of personality and a pinch of humour, they would be richer for it; I'm certain.

So let's not be unjustly harsh on Bolt, who is easily Jamaica's most successful athlete. Yohan Blake might just be the next in line as he too is interesting and has the potential to exceed Bolt. Part of it has to do with what he does on the track, but even more important, it also has to do with who he is off it. When you bring those two together the way Bolt has and the way Blake will most likely do, it means that 'dem reach' whether some of us want to accept it or not.

If you ask me, we should be grateful we have him. He could have been born somewhere else.

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