“Usain Bolt is all about charity,” charismatic Olympian Usain Bolt cheerfully explained to us at a fund-raising event recently. The charities in reference were the Zeitz Foundation and the Zoological Society of London, which are working together to conserve the habitats of cheetah and African wild dogs, and the evening’s event was a dinner and auction held at the London Zoo, of which Bolt was the host.
Bolt’s preposterously endearing attitude over the summer captured the world’s attention as much as—if not more than—his hypersonic speed, and of his warm reception in the Olympics’ host city, he told us that “just being in London, it was wonderful. The crowd was amazing. I really enjoyed the people here—they really showed me a lot of love. The energy was really good.” At one point in the evening he jumped onstage to rally support for a certain sentimental auction item (his electric-yellow jersey from the Summer Games). The extra push helped—the garment sold for £31,000 ($50,000).