The family of sprint legend Usain Bolt was plunged into mourning on Monday when his father, Wellesley, died.

Sources close to the family confirmed his passing, adding that he had been ailing for a while.

Up to press time the Jamaica Observer had not received or seen a reaction from the athletics great who, our sources said, is in Europe on business.

Wellesley’s passing would be particularly painful to the world’s fastest man as he had a very close bond with his parents.

Wellesley was often seen in the stands, along with wife Jennifer, as they supported their son during his rise to global stardom.

When Bolt won his first Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, setting the then 100 metres world record of 9.69 seconds, his father was watching from home while his mother was in the stands.

“It was a tense moment for me,” he was reported as saying at the time, adding that he was not fond of flying. “So I wasn’t there for the 100.”

However, Bolt’s sponsor at the time, Digicel, convinced Wellesley to travel to Beijing for the 200 metres, but the race was being run when he was in the air and he missed his son capturing another gold and smashing the world record.

Since then, he never missed a major race in which his son competed.

Wellesley Bolt operated a shop in the family’s home district of Sherwood Content, Trelawny, for 15 years up to 2017. Prior to that he worked at the coffee board for 16 years.

Despite his son’s success, Wellesley and his wife opted to remain at their house in Sherwood Content and were reported to have been very generous to residents, giving away as many products as were sold at the shop.

“I need something to occupy my time so I don’t get lazy,” Wellesley was quoted as saying in one interview. “As parents, we are proud of him, but we don’t think it is fair for us to be acting over the head of various people in the community.”

Reacting to news of his passing, Sports Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange remembered Wellesley as a passionate and supportive figure.

“Wellesley and his wife Jennifer were the picture of a loving and supportive family who were always there for their son, Usain,” Grange said.

“I found Mr Bolt to be an exceptional and passionate father who was invested in the success of his family. He was the strength of his family. I offer my sincerest condolence to Jennifer, Usain, and the rest of the Bolt family on the passing of Wellesley, or Gideon as he was so affectionately called by friends and neighbours in Trelawny,” said Grange.

Carole Beckford, who was the legendary sprinter’s publicist through 2012, described Wellesley as a happy man who enjoyed a good outing.

“He supported his son’s pursuit of his dreams and was as involved with him as much as he could. We had good times on road trips, and when we visited him, he always made us feel comfortable. May he rest in eternal peace,” Beckford said.