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Bobsled federation trusting local talent
January 23, 2026
When the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (JBSF) developed their long-term plan to see Jamaica become a global presence in the sport, they made the bold decision to trust local talent - one that is paying dividends.
The JBSF is targeting a podium finish by the 2034 Winter Games, and sees their qualification for this year as a major step in the right direction.
A number of the athletes who have qualified for the Winter Games are local athletes who have been training with the federation for the past three years.
Chris Stokes, president of the JBSF, explained this was an intentional choice to ensure the island has a sustainable pool of talent to select from for the years to come.
"In January 2023, we started a programme to get a team on the podium by the 2034 Olympics in Park City, Utah. That was the goal of the programme," Stokes explained.
"We had recruited very young athletes, brand new athletes, and we also made two other important moves," he continued.
"This is part of another strategic decision we made, which was termed the Back to the Well Programme, where we focused on recruiting athletes in Jamaica, who lived and trained and grew up and competed in Jamaica, and turning them into world-class bobsled."
Under the guidance of world-renowned head coach Todd Hays, Jamaica began to see success which led to their qualification to the Winter Games.
Jamaica qualified for the women's mono-bob, the two-man bobsleigh and the four-man bobsleigh races.
Mica Moore has qualified for the mono-bob while pilot Shane Pitter and his crew of Joel Fearon, Nimroy Turgott and Junior Harris qualified for the two-man bobsleigh.
Pitter is also the pilot for the four-man bobsleigh team alongside Tyquendo Tracey, Andrae Dacres, Harris and Fearon.
FOREIGN-BASED
Despite a focus on developing local talent, Stokes explained this does not mean they have closed the door on foreign-based athletes who have expressed an interest in representing Jamaica.
Moore, who will compete in the women's mono-bob race, is one such athlete.
Born in Wales, she competed for Wales as a sprinter before switching to bobsled for Great Britain.
She made the switch to Jamaica last year, and has qualified for her first Winter Games in Jamaican colours.
"There are many countries who intentionally shortcut the system, trying to say, let me get a number three driver from Britain, or Monaco, or wherever, and put some fast persons behind them," he said.
"But we made a conscious decision to recruit from within Jamaica, which is a testimony to our confidence that the Jamaican athlete and Jamaican character can be a world-class bobsledder."
Stokes said the 2026 Winter Games will be used as a measuring stick of Jamaica's strength against the world's best, with the overarching goal of securing a medal by the 2034 Winter Games.
