OLYMPICS: Bobsleigh-Jamaica seek sliding success to replace 'Cool Runnings' past

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy – Chris Stokes, a founding member of Jamaica's original "Cool Runnings" bobsleigh team, still remembers the frenzy of fans that greeted him at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics the moment he stepped out of the athletes’ village wearing the team jacket.

"That's a rookie mistake I made," Stokes said, 38 years later, the excitement still vivid as Jamaica’s current bobsleigh team competes at the Milano Cortina Games.

"Even yesterday, when I came back from the track in the van and they opened the door to let me out, people saw Jamaica bobsleigh, and we were absolutely mobbed," Stokes told Reuters.

He added, "I go down the street in a plain black jacket. You want to be respectful of your fans and supporters, but you wouldn’t get anywhere. You wouldn’t even get to the corner store to buy a coffee."

Motivating the New Generation

During a recent outing into the chic Dolomites resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 2026 team found themselves surrounded by fans, a scene Stokes saw as a motivational opportunity.

"My 1994 team finished 14th at the Olympic Games. Until a team surpasses that, they are the best Jamaican bobsled team ever. I’ve told this to the guys," Stokes said.

He reminded the athletes, "Don’t confuse yourselves. When someone asks you for an autograph, it’s because of what I and my teammates did, not because of something you have done yet. My challenge to them is that by the end of these Games—and when they compete in La Plagne in 2030 and Salt Lake City in 2034—let people be crowding you because of something you accomplished. That’s my challenge to them."

Immortalized by Cool Runnings

The 1988 Jamaican bobsleigh team—Stokes, his brother Dudley, Devon Harris, and Michael White—was immortalized in the 1993 movie Cool Runnings. Jamaica finished last in the 1988 Olympics but improved by 1994, moving into the top half of 30 entrants and defeating teams from the United States and Italy.

"Led by my brother, it took Jamaica Bobsleigh six, seven, eight years to learn that success isn’t just about athleticism," Stokes said. "It’s about discipline, focus, being present, and playing your role. The current team understands this from day one."

He also highlighted the advantage of having coach Todd Hays, a silver medalist who has trained multiple medal winners for the U.S. and Canada, and even coached Russia. "Todd brings a crystal-clear understanding of what it takes to win," Stokes said. "He tells me all the time, 'We know what we need to do to win. We know that already, so it’s just a matter of putting the pieces in place.'" -Writing by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne/Reuters