It could be time for a sequel to “Cool Runnings,’’ the movie inspired by the 1998 Winter Olympic debut of the Jamaican bobsled team..
The Jamaicans have become more than a feel-good Olympics story.
They have qualified for three bobsled spots at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, the Jamaican Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation announced Jan. 19. Jamaicans qualified three sleds for the first time at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing,
The contigent qualified to compete in Italy are the two-man team, four-man team and women’s monobob, according to the Jamaican federation, which announced the two-woman team is ranked as first alternate should another country withdraw from competiton.
“This achievement reflects sustained excellence, commitment and international competitiveness on the world stage,’’ the federation said.
The Jamaicans failed to qualify for the Olympics in 2006, 2010 and 2018 before getting back on track in 2022. And in November 2025, Jamaica won a gold medal at an international bobsled competition for the first time ever.
Jamaican beat Canada in the four-man competition to win at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation’s North American Cup in Whistler, British Columbia.
“It’s just a great feeling, honestly,’’ Jamaican team member Junior Harris said, according to a CBC report after that victory. “I can’t find words to explain it.
“It just feels real good because our families are proud and the whole island of Jamaica is proud.”
Fellow team member Shane Pitter said he couldn’t believe it when the Jamaicans crossed the finish line and saw they were in first place.
“Like, is this possible? Is this what I’m really seeing, first place?” Pitter said, according to the CBC report. “I was just standing there speechless.”
It would be far more shocking if the Jamaicans won a medal at the Olympics.
“Follow our race schedule, cheer us on, and ride with us on this Olympic journey,’’ the federation wrote on its Instagram account a day after the Jamaicans won their first international gold medal. “Let’s show the world that Jamaican ice is still very real.’’
