Usain Bolt meets rugby league charity

The fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, came across new rugby league charity Rugby League Cares at a chance meeting earlier this month.

Sean Mellor, who works for the charity, bumped in to Bolt while he was training at Brunel University.

Mellor and colleague Anthony Atherton were staying at the university ahead of the Champion Schools Finals, which took place on Wembley weekend.

He said: “Anthony mentioned that one of the people on the indoor sprint lanes looked like Usain Bolt and I agreed that he did look a bit like him. But when he spoke and we saw him close up we realised it WAS him. 

“One of his training partners told us that there would be no problem with getting a photograph with him once he had finished training so I arranged for someone to bring me a Rugby League Cares t-shirt and got permission to invite him to the Challenge Cup Final.

“All the Champion Schools finalists were staying at Brunel University and quite a few players had noticed that that Usain Bolt was in the gym. Some kids from Dowdales School in Barrow were invited in by Usain to get a ball signed so I went in with them. 

“He was great with the kids and he knew about Rugby League, having been to matches in Australia and knew that Jamaica had a team. I told him about Rugby League Cares and he said was very happy to be photographed with the charity logo. Unfortunately he was unable to attend the final because of his training schedule. I am not sure who was buzzing more – me or the lads from Dowdales.”

To learn more about Rugby League Cares visit http://www.rugbyleaguecares.org/