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Jamaica to Send 4-Man Bobsled Team to Winter Olympics for First Time in Decades

Jamaica to Send 4-Man Bobsled Team to Winter Olympics for First Time in Decades
Jamaica to Send 4-Man Bobsled Team to Winter Olympics for First Time in Decades

Team Jamaica Twitter Jamaica's bobsled team

For the first time in decades, Jamaica will be competing in the four-man bobsled race at the Olympic Winter Games.

Team Jamaica announced the news earlier this week on Twitter, writing, "JAMAICA, WE HAVE A BOBSLED TEAM HEADING TO BEIJING."

The country has qualified to compete in three bobsled events at the 2022 Games: the four-man, two-man and women's monobob. Jamaica has not participated in the four-man event since the 1998 Games in Japan, and has sporadically had teams in the other competitions.

Team members have not been announced yet, though pilot Shanwayne Stephens is expected to be on the team, and appeared on Today, Wednesday, to discuss Jamaica's qualification.

"We've put in a lot of hard work the last four years ... over the lockdown we've even come up with our own way to get the training done because we didn't want to leave any stone unturned," said Stephens.

Teammate Nimroy Turgot, who also appeared on Today, noted that as Jamaica doesn't typically experience winter weather like snow, they have no proper training facilities — making the country's bobsled athletes' achievements even more impressive.

"I am absolutely buzzing," Turgoy told the co-hosts. "I'm proud of myself and my teammates … we are prepared to go to the Olympics and put on the great show."

RELATED: Members of Jamaica's Bobsled Team Keeping in Shape During Lockdown by Pushing a Car Around Town

Stephens and Turgot quarantined together in the U.K. during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, and made headlines for adapting their training regimen amid constraints. They spent time pushing a Mini Cooper car around to mimic elements of bobsled racing.

The first-ever Jamaican bobsled team to compete at an Olympic Games in 1988 inspired beloved 1993 movie Cool Runnings.

Jamaica to Send 4-Man Bobsled Team to Winter Olympics for First Time in Decades
Jamaica to Send 4-Man Bobsled Team to Winter Olympics for First Time in Decades

Team Jamaica Twitter Jamaica's bobsled team

Jamaica also had an Alpine skier qualify for the Winter Games, which start next month, for the first time in history. Benjamain Alexander, who was raised in the U.K., will compete in giant slalom in Beijing.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb 3, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.