At 23, the Olympic and world 100 and 200 metres champion and world record holder is the youngest person to receive the honour.

 

In recent weeks, Jamaica has also re-named a highway after Bolt.

 

The Prime Minister Bruce Golding has had defend his decision to bestow the honour on Bolt with some Jamaicans claiming it is too early in his life.

Golding said: "People have said that he is too young and he should wait.

 

"I don't think Usain is superman.

 

"I believe he is superhuman.

 

"But he's not going to remain a superhuman forever and I don't think that he's going to be able to break any world record when he's 35; I don't think that it is physically possible.
 

"I felt that anybody who has brought such a sense of achievement to Jamaica, where you demonstrate it, not once, not twice, that you could move that record, you could establish yourself beyond any doubt as the fastest human being that has ever lived, deserves that award."

 

Golding claimed that a precedent had been set by Britain giving a knighthood to Chris Hoy after he won three gold medals at the Olympics in Beijing last year.
 

He said: "I thought it interesting that some people felt that it was inappropriate [to accord Bolt the OJ] because there is a young man by the name of Chris Hoy from Scotland, who won three gold medals in cycle racing in Beijing.

"The Queen saw it fit to award him a Knighthood and for the life of me, if the motherland can do it, I see no reason why we couldn't honour our own." 

 

 

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September 2009: Jamaica names highway after Bolt and give him full diplomatic status