KINGSTON, Jamaica—Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett on Friday announced that the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) will sponsor the Jamaica bobsled team to this year’s Winter Olympics.

“For the first time in 24 years, a four-man bobsleigh team from Jamaica has qualified to compete in the Winter Olympics and everyone is fondly recalling our original 1988 team that inspired the Hollywood movie, ‘Cool Runnings’,” Bartlett said.

“With the upcoming Games shining the spotlight brightly upon our bobsleigh athletes, they will serve as Jamaica’s ambassadors to the world and bring additional positive awareness for Jamaica among viewers and sports fans around the world.” 

According to the JTB, the sponsorship of US$20,000 will go to the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, the organisation that supports and oversees these athletes.

“Sports are an important aspect of tourism because they bring people and cultures together over a shared enthusiasm,” the minister said.

“Avid sports fans and spectators will travel to watch their favourite sporting events and competitors and in doing so spend money in the destinations they visit, thereby benefitting the local economy. Our sports tourism niche is vital to the growth of our overall tourism sector and a key part of our overarching plan to create a stronger and more resilient Jamaica for the future,” he noted.  

The Jamaica Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation is led by CEO and President Chris Stokes, a member of the original 1988 Jamaican bobsleigh team.

During Friday’s announcement, he debuted a song entitled, “Rocket Blasta” written to celebrate and support Jamaica’s Winter Olympics’ participation.

“I am grateful for the outpouring of support for the team and they are committed to doing well and making Jamaica proud. Jamaican bobsleigh is here to stay,” said Stokes.

Though the athletes are enroute to Beijing, Shanwayne Stephens, the driver of this year’s four-man bobsleigh team, provided brief remarks in a video.

“It means a lot to us to qualify for the Games. We’ve worked very hard over the past four years to have achieved what we have achieved,” Stephens said.

“We’re extremely proud to represent Jamaica, Jamaica bobsleigh and everybody that is a massive ‘Cool Runnings’ fan, so we can’t wait to get out there and put in the best performance that we can,” he added

Fans of Jamaica’s bobsleigh athletes can watch them compete from February 11 through 19, 2022, on the NBC television network.

“You can expect us to go out there and bring the fire on ice and do the absolute best that we can,” Stephens said.

“We’re not just a movie, we’re here to compete. I can guarantee you that we are going to go off the top of that hill like an absolute rocket.”