JAMAICA READY FOR A NEW “COOL RUNNINGS” IN MILANO CORTINA

Share

Team Jamaica surprised everyone a few days ago when it was confirmed that they had qualified in three sliding events for Milano Cortina 2026: women’s monobob, men’s two-man and four-man, which immediately reminded us of that historic participation of the Bobsleigh Team at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, which inspired the Hollywood movie “Cool Runnings.”

Meet the new stars of this Jamaican participation.

The year was 1988. At the Calgary Winter Olympics, Jamaica was the center of attention because, for the first time in its history, it was fielding a bobsleigh team at an Olympic event.

Dudley Stokes, Michael Whie, Devon Harris, and Chris Stokes made Olympic and national history by becoming the first representatives of the Caribbean island to compete in the Winter Olympics.

How was it possible that four athletes from one of the warmest countries on the planet, known throughout the world for its beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters, could compete in bobsleigh in sub-zero temperatures?

This was the most frequently asked question at those Games. An exemplary story of effort that gained greater notoriety after it was brought to the big screen in Hollywood with the well-known film “Cool Runnings.”

Since 1988, Jamaica has continued to participate in the Winter Olympics in bobsleigh. In total, they have participated eight times, with 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, being a historic participation because, for the first time, they qualified in the women’s event with two women carrying the Jamaican flag.

For Milano Cortina 2026, Jamaica is once again qualifying athletes in bobsleigh. This time in the women’s event with Mica Moore in the women’s monobob, and with pilot Shane Pitter and his teammates Andrae Dacres, Junior Harris, Tyquedo Tracey, and Joel Fearob, who will have the mission of participating in the two-man and four-man sleds.

“This achievement reflects sustained excellence, commitment, and international competitiveness on the world stage. It confirms Jamaica as one of the most consistent tropical nations in winter sports,” said the Jamaica Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.

History shows that Jamaica has never finished in the top 10 in the world in bobsleigh. Its best result was at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, when it finished 14th in the four-man event.

Will the Jamaican team in Milano Cortina be able to surpass this performance? Only time will tell.

The bobsleigh competition in Milano-Cortina 2026 is scheduled for February 12-22 at the Cortina Sliding Center.