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For 90s kids, the phrase “Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme!” isn’t just a movie quote—it’s a cultural anthem. They’re back! Jamaica’s legendary underdog bobsled team—famous thanks to Disney’s Cool Runnings—is making history once again at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. After 24 years, Jamaica is back in the four-man bobsled—and this time, they’re also competing in the two-man and women’s monobob events.
Jamaica’s Bobsled Legacy – From Calgary 1988 to Beijing 2022
The 1988 Calgary Olympics: Crash, Fame, and “Cool Runnings”
“Jamaica’s debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics was anything but typical—it was bold, unexpected, and unforgettable. A tropical country with no snow or ice… yet somehow, they’ve got a bobsled team? Now that’s unexpected! Critics laughed. But underdogs Derice Bannock, Devon Harris, Michael White, and Sam Clayton Jr., coached by disgraced American Olympian Irving Blitzer (played by John Candy in the film), captured global hearts. Their sled crashed in Calgary, but their determination to push it across the finish line became a symbol of resilience.
The team’s story inspired Cool Runnings, a box-office hit that turned them into legends. While the film took creative liberties (no flying start in real life), it cemented Jamaica’s place in Winter Olympics lore.
Post-1988: Struggles and Small Victories
After their unforgettable debut in Calgary, Jamaica didn’t stop there. The team went on to compete in the two-man bobsled at the Winter Games in 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2014—proving they were more than just a one-time story. As for the four-man event, their last run was back in Nagano in 1998, where they powered their way to a 21st-place finish. Financial struggles, lack of ice tracks, and limited resources plagued the team. Yet, athletes like Winston Watt (2014 Sochi) kept the flame alive, proving Jamaica’s spirit wasn’t a one-hit wonder.
The 2022 Comeback – Qualifying Against All Odds
Breaking the 24-Year Drought
In January 2022, Team Jamaica announced its qualification for three bobsled events at Beijing:
- Four-man bobsled (first since 1998)
- Two-man bobsled
- Women’s monobob (debuted in 2018)
Pilot Shanwayne Stephens, a Royal Air Force lance corporal, is the face of this resurgence. His tweet, “We made it. 24 years since we’ve had a 4man crew,” went viral, reigniting global excitement.
Training in a Pandemic: From Pushing Cars to Shattering Barriers
When COVID-19 lockdowns shut U.K. gyms in 2020, Stephens and teammates resorted to unconventional training. They pushed a Mini Cooper down English streets to mimic the explosive sled push.
“People thought our car broke down,” Stephens told Reuters. But as soon as we said, ‘We’re the Jamaican bobsled team,’ the crowd went wild with cheers.
The team also trained on indoor tracks in Germany and Latvia, relying on crowdfunding and sponsors like Puma and Visa to cover costs.
