KINGSTON, Jamaica — Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas says Jamaica’s Usain Bolt is a Caribbean inspiration and described his performance in the 2012 London Olympics as “legendary.”

“As a Caribbean man, Usain is an inspiration to Caribbean people everywhere. He has made us all proud. We salute him, his compatriots and all Caribbean athletes who participated in the Olympics,” said Thomas.

His comment is contained in a congratulatory message to the Government and people of Jamaica, following the country’s performance at the Olympics.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Grenada, I congratulate Usain Bolt on his outstanding and legendary achievement, in becoming the first man in the history of the Olympics to successfully defend his double sprint title – the 100 and 200 metres, at the London Olympics.

“We embrace them all as our very own, in the same spirit that the region has embraced Kirani James,” said Thomas.

At the same time Thomas welcomed calls from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to greater recognise James, who became the first person from Grenada and the OECS to win an Olympic gold medal.

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves praised James for his performance while Antigua’s Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer called on LIAT to name an aircraft in honour of the Olympic Gold medalist in the 400 metres.