ON COURSE

CHRIS STOKES, president of the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, says Jamaica’s historic gold medal at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) North American Cup is a powerful step toward the country’s long-term goal of winning an Olympic medal by 2030.

Jamaica’s four-man team, which consisted of driver Shane Pitter and brakemen Tyquendo Tracey, Andre Dacres, and Junior Harris, powered to first place in 1:45.88 in Whistler, Canada.

Their impressive run placed them ahead of two Canadian teams that secured silver and bronze on home ice, marking the first time Jamaica has ever won a gold medal in an international bobsleigh competition.

“First of all, it is the best that we have ever done in an international competition. We have done well at the Olympic Games and we have raced for many years on this circuit and it is the first time that we are winning a gold medal,” said Stokes.

“This is also particularly important because it is an Olympic year because everybody is out and everybody is on their A game and we still went out there and won, and so full marks for that.”

Stokes added that the victory is part of the country’s much wider mission of securing a medal at the Olympic Games.

“But, having said that, it is a step on a journey. The first phase is to compete in the race series, because we have races in Utah and Lake Placid in New York, then go to the Olympics,” he stated.

“We are aiming to have our best-ever finish in the Olympics because our best before this is 14th place, but importantly set the foundation for a medal run in 2030 and, when I say a medal run, I am talking about an Olympic medal run,” he said.

Stokes also praised the team for the excellent showing and the commitment they have shown at the championships.

“I think, while we are very happy with where we are, it is no doubt a massive achievement because not many countries have been able to do it. We did it in Canada on an unfamiliar track and so it is a super team and it is a milestone, but it is not the destination.”

Tracey, who is a former national 100 metres champion, said the victory has energised the squad and raised their ambitions even higher.

“Anything historic will lift anybody’s dreams and emotions and to want more and so for the team itself, this is very important because we need this and this is just a stepping stone to the real goal that we are trying to get, which is an Olympic medal,” Tracey said.

“The plan is for us to get more victories because, even the third place that we got in this tournament before our victory, we should have won that race but mistakes happened and we found out the mistakes and we made the corrections and we got the gold medal.”

The North American Cup now shifts to the United States, with the next leg beginning this weekend in Park City, Utah, before moving to Lake Placid, New York, in January.