Jamaican sprinter adopts cheetah

Sprinter Bolt adopts a cheetah

Page last updated at 13:13 GMT, Monday, 2 November 2009

The fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt, has agreed to adopt the fastest animal on four legs, a cheetah, during a four-day visit to Kenya.
He told reporters in Nairobi he was looking forward to meeting the cheetah cub - describing it as a calm animal.

The Jamaican sprinter is helping to launch a conservation campaign run by German charity the Zeitz Foundation.

He has already impressed local children with his football skills, and become an honorary Maasai warrior.

Bolt, the world record holder at both 100m and 200m, said he was excited about his first meeting with a cheetah.

"I am glad it wasn't a lion - the cheetah is much more calm," he said.

He is helping to launch a campaign called the Long Run, which aims to promote ecologically sound practices.

"I was attracted to the initiative because of its objectives on the conservation of the environment and co-existence of different cultures," Bolt said.

"I do a lot of charity work in Jamaica. But I would like to see first-hand the challenges facing Africa in environment."

The Zeitz Foundation was set up by Jochen Zeitz, the boss of sportswear manufacturer Puma.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8338040.stm

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