Jamaica’s bobsleigh teams headed for Olympics
Driver Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian and Carrie Russell of Jamaica
start their third heat during the women’s two-man
bobsled fi nal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang,
South Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. Associated Press/Wong
Maye-E, File
David Close
Artistic Director & Conductor
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Caribbean Life, JAN. 28-FEB. 3, 2022 11
Whether its summer or
winter Jamaican athletes seem
to create buzzworthy notice
of World and Olympic proportions.
Qualifiers in men’s and women’s
World Cup Soccer contests,
last year, with a 1, 2, 3 sweep in a
track and field event at the 2020
Summer Olympics in Sochi,
Japan three women took home
gold, silver and bronze medals.
This year, men and women
from the tropical island qualified
to represent in not one, not
two but three events during the
upcoming 2022 bobsleigh Winter
Olympics in Beijing, China.
Following the unprecedented
achievement, the news went
viral trending throughout social
media and sports circles.
“It will be fire on ice,” an optimist
predicted about the Feb. 4
start of competitions.
Like the buzz that preceded
the 1988 Calgary Olympics
which first introduced a black,
green and gold four-man team
of sledders who stole the spotlight
in Canada and also inspired
a Hollywood production of
a “Cool Runnings” dramatic
comedy, this year’s historic feat
“demonstrates that nothing is
impossible.”
Actually, that’s what the
island’s Minister of Sports, Olivia
Grange said.
“We don’t have no snow’ yet
here we are competing against
the world’s best on ice,” she
added.
During a news conference
with team qualifiers she said:
“These are the first Olympics in
which Jamaica will be represented
in three bobsleigh events. In
addition to the women’s monobob
— a new event at the Olympics
— we’ve qualified for the
two-man event; and for the first
time in 24 years we’re back in
the four-man competition.”
Grange lauded the team
recently in the capital city of
Kingston, even raising hopes of
more possibilities for additional
qualifications.
There’s the possibility that
Jamaica could compete in a
fourth bobsleigh event as the
two-woman team missed out
on a tiebreaker but could still
compete as first alternate if one
of the qualifying nations withdraws.
“So we keep our fingers
crossed.”
Minister Grange described
the teams as “inspirational.”
And as if the news did not
provide carnival-worthy celebrations,
Grange added a fourth
reason for national revelry.
“For the first time at the
Winter Olympics, Jamaica will
have a competitor in Alpine Skiing
and I want to congratulate
Benjamin Alexander on this
wonderful achievement for our
country.” Alexander is the second
skier to represent Jamaica
at the Winter Games following
Errol Kerr who finished ninth in
the Ski Cross at the 2010 Games
in Vancouver.
“This generation — and others
to come — will look up
to you and be inspired by you
because of your unlikely presence
at the Winter Games representing
a tropical country
and doing well. You are stories
of dedication and commitment
filled with a lot of blood, sweat
and tears. Your hard work has
already paid off.”
Minister Grange said “As you
go to Beijing, please know that
the entire country is cheering
you on; and you can continue
to count on the support of the
government of Jamaica.”
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