Thousands turn out at Trinidad & Tobago's airport to greet Walcott
As reported in Yahoo! Sport, "Olympic champion rewarded with free lighthouse," on 15 August 2012 -- Britain's Olympic champions have been recognised with golden postboxes and special stamps. In America, new champions have been given a healthy $25,000 cash bonus.
But none of that can hold a candle to the prizes lavished upon Trinidad and Tobago's champion Keshorn Walcott.
Keshorn Walcott Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar
The 19-year-old was a shock winner of the javelin, taking advantage of the world's best all having off-days as he came through to claim victory with a relatively unremarkable throw of 84.58m.
But while his throw was rather modest by Olympic standards (it was the shortest winning effort since 1988), the prizes it brought him are anything but: on his return to his home country Walcott was given £100,000 in cash, a luxury home, 20,000 acres of land and - best of all - a free lighthouse!
As if that weren't enough, Walcott - who is the first athlete from outside Europe to win the javelin in 20 years - will also have a yet-to-be-determined national landmark named in his honour, while Caribbean Airlines will name a plane after him.
Keshorn Walcott kisses his mother Beverly Walcott at Piarco International Airport
It wasn't only Walcott who benefited from his throw, however: everyone in the country got a day off work to mark his achievement, thanks to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Biessessar declaring a national holiday.
No wonder so many turned out to welcome him home: thousands of people turned up at the airport to welcome him home, all decked out in the national colours of red and black. (source: Yahoo! Sport)
Before Gold Medal Housing: 19 year old Keshorn Walcott won the second ever Olympic gold medal for Trinidad &Tobago. This is a picture of the house he grew up in.
After Gold Medal Housing
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