Jamaica’s bobsleigh group are decided to beat monetary points and challenges thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic as their four-man line-up returns to the Winter Video games for the primary time in 24 years.
Jamaica’s bobsleigh groups have been a welcome sight at Winter Video games ever because the nation, identified extra for its tropical local weather, beat the chances to qualify for the 1988 Calgary Olympics which impressed the feel-good Disney movie ‘Cool Runnings’.
However the group confronted difficulties of their preparation for the Feb. 4-20 Beijing Video games as a consequence of journey restrictions, with the members coaching collectively for the primary time solely in September.
“We’re a bunch of fellows who actually got here collectively for the primary time on the 18th of September, not by our personal fault however the COVID scenario and journey restrictions,” bobsleigh pilot Shanwayne Stevens advised Reuters after touching down in Beijing on Saturday.
“…To realize what we’ve achieved in such a brief time period is a testomony to the arduous work all people has put in exterior of being collectively.
“As a result of we knew that what we wished to do was obtain one objective and all people put within the work in order that after we got here collectively. It was so much simpler for us to type of gel collectively after which carry out very well.”
The group need to make amends following their near-miss 4 years in the past once they didn’t qualify for Pyeongchang by one spot on the earth rankings.
“The pandemic is there, however there’s extra than simply the pandemic, which might be monetary struggles the group have confronted, however the objective has simply been to discover a approach to survive,” mentioned bobsleigh brakeman Rolando Reid.
“We’ve got an unimaginable bunch of fellows that simply know the objective and the objective is to get to the Video games, carry out to one of the best of our talents and be good ambassadors of our nation.”
Jamaica may also compete within the two-man bob and the ladies’s monobob, making it the primary time in Olympic historical past that the nation has certified for 3 bobsleigh occasions.