Jamaican bobsleigh team qualifies for 2026 Winter Olympics

Jamaica’s bobsleigh team has officially qualified three sledges for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, reviving memories of the iconic underdog story that once captivated global audiences.

The team will compete in the two-man, four-man and women’s monobob events, with a women’s two-person team listed as the first alternate. It is being hailed as a significant achievement for a country better known for sprinting dominance than icy tracks.

From cult movie to Olympic reality

The news has drawn inevitable comparisons to the cult classic Cool Runnings, which told the story of Jamaica’s unlikely journey into Olympic bobsleighing.

“It was such a cult movie,” Barbara Friedman of Primedia Plus recalled. “The film followed this bunch of Jamaicans who live in hot, sunny Jamaica, who’ve probably never seen snow in their lives, training for the Winter Olympics under a disgraced coach played by the late John Candy.”

The film, loosely based on real events, went on to inspire generations. “It’s just a fantastic Disney movie that inspired people,” Friedman said.

Climate is no barrier to ambition

The latest qualification reinforces the same message the film delivered decades ago: geography does not dictate ambition.

“It’s a huge achievement again for Jamaica,” said Friedman. “It shows how a tropical nation competes in winter sports, proving that climate is no barrier to ambition”.

That sentiment echoed a famous line from the movie, paraphrased on air: if you can sprint fast, you can bobsled.

With Jamaica’s long tradition of producing world-class runners, the leap from track to ice may still seem improbable, but the results suggest it is working, warm clothes and all.

For more information, listen to Friedman using the audio player below: