SOCHI, RUSSIA – FEBRUARY 14: Winston Watts of Jamaica pilots a run during a Men’s Two-Man Bobsleigh training session on day 7 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Sanki Sliding Center on February 14, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
SOCHI, RUSSIA – FEBRUARY 14: Winston Watts of Jamaica pilots a run during a Men’s Two-Man Bobsleigh training session on day 7 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Sanki Sliding Center on February 14, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
In an era where Hollywood blockbusters are getting all-female reboots, it almost makes sense that the women’s Jamaican bobsleigh team have repeated what the men did 30 years ago, and have got themselves to their first Winter Olympics.
Against all odds, and to most people’s confusion, Jamaica qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. So unfathomable was their journey, they became the subject of an all-time classic film: Cool Runnings was released in 1991. So surely, these girls also deserve the big screen treatment?
“Jamaica, we have a bobsleigh team!”
The men’s success laid down some pretty amazing foundations for winter sports in the country. They have qualified for six Olympic tournaments since their fateful debut, and that momentum has found its way to the women’s team.
Jazmine Fenlator, Carrie Russell and Audra Segree make up the Jamaican bobsleigh team. They will be heading to Pyeongchang, South Korea, to compete in the 2018 games.
We demand a second Cool Runnings film
Despite this being their maiden tournament, the Jamaicans come with a wealth of experience. All three bobsleighers have actually competed in high-level atheltics before. Fenlator actually represented the USA at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, then switched to her Father’s country of heritage in 2015.
Russell won a gold medal in the 4x100m relay at the World Athletics Championships in 2013, whereas Segree also had a career competing in track events.
Bobsleigh world rankings befouls the men’s team
Not to be upstaged, the men may also have an outside chance of coming along to South Korea. They missed out on qualification by a whisker, as the 30 highest-ranked teams go through to the finals. Sadly, the boys sit in 31st place. If any team pulls out of the games next month, Jamaica will be asked to replace them.
We congratulate the female Jamaican bobsleigh team, and wish them all the best for Pyeongchang. Let’s hope they feel both the rhythm and the rhyme, when they realise it’s bobsleigh time. Sorry. We really couldn’t help ourselves.
Also read: Nigerian bobsleigh team set to qualify for Winter Olympics 2018
