The pilot of Jamaica's bobsled team, Winston Watts, has encouraged Usain Bolt to become an Olympic bobsleigh athlete after his running days are over.

The Caribbean nation are competing in Sochi 2014, ending their 12-year absence from the Winter Games.

Sprinters transforming into bobsleigh athletes is quite common and Watts has admitted that he would love to team with Bolt in the future, but, for the time being, would settle for a message of support from the six-time Olympic gold medallist and the world's fastest man.

He told reporters: "Usain is a busy guy - he doesn't have my number. If a text comes in it will be a surprise but I'd love to know that he is behind us.

"Usain would be a very good pusher but he's not the kind of person who likes cold. He's definitely said that. It would be awesome to have him on my team. A strong guy like me and Bolt, who is very fast, can you imagine?"

Watts and his teammates were only given their equipment on Thursday after losing their luggage, although he claims that their bags may have been tampered with by airport security in Russia.