The Jamaican four-man bobsled team that qualified for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (Credit: Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation on Twitter)
For the first time in 24 years, Jamaica has a four-man bobsled team that has qualified for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, commonly known as Beijing 2022.
It’s reminiscent of the 1988 Winter Olympics
“Feel the Rhythm! Feel the Rhyme! Get on up, it’s bobsled time! Cool Runnings!”. Those are the iconic words from the well-known 1993 Disney film, Cool Runnings, which tells the true-life story of how team Jamaica debuted at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. The film highlights them being the underdog in their historic run.
Jamaican bobsled represented again ten years later at the 1998 Nagano Games.
That was the last time Jamaica had a four-man team at the Winter Olympics.
Since then, at least one Jamaican men’s sled has competed in multiple Winter Olympics including 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2014 with a two-man sled.
The 2022 Games will mark the first Winter Olympics since the death of Sam Clayton Jr., a member of the original 1988 team. Clayton Jr. reportedly passed away from COVID-19.
Qualified for three bobsled events
This year, Jamaica qualified in three Olympic bobsled events for the first time. In addition to the four-man sled, the team also earned the last spot in the two-man and a place in the new Olympic event of women’s monobob. Team Jamaica missed a two-woman spot on a tiebreaker but can get in as a first alternate if one qualified nation gives up a spot.
Team Jamaica made the announcement along with other sources after the qualifiers.
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will have its opening ceremony on Friday, February 4, and end on Sunday, February 20.
Sources:
NBC Sports:
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2022/01/17/jamaica-bobsled-cool-runnings-winter-olympics-skier
CBS News:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/winter-olympics-2022-jamaica-bobsled-team
Today:
https://www.today.com/news/beijing-olympics-2022-schedule-events-where-watch-t225986
Candice Stewart is a Jamaican content writer specializing in human interest feature stories. She is a web content writer, blogger, and budding podcaster.
She holds an MA in Communication for Social and Behaviour Change and a BSc. in Psychology from the University of the West Indies (UWI, Mona).
Follow her blog at thesuburbangirlja.com, where she shares stories and life lessons through real-life experiences.
