Jamaica has once again showcased the power of determination, discipline, and raw athletic talent on the global stage. In a historic performance, the Jamaican 4-man bobsled team captured gold at the North America Cup (NAC) in Whistler, Canada, marking the country’s first gold medal at any international bobsleigh race.
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Leading the charge was 26-year-old pilot Shane Pitter of Spanish Town, who, along with brakemen Junior Harris, Andrae Dacres, and Tyquendo Tracey, delivered a record-breaking performance that will be remembered for years. The quartet rocketed down Whistler’s fast ice track in a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 45.88 seconds, outpacing Canada’s Cyrus Gray, Cesar de Guzman, Kyle Stoob, and Chris Ashley, who took silver in 1:46.18, while another Canadian crew of Jay Dearborn, Keaton Bruggeling, Shane Ohrt, and Kenny M’Pindou earned bronze with 1:46.37.
The team’s explosive 4.91-second start demonstrated the precision and power needed to dominate one of the fastest tracks in the world. Pitter became the first Jamaican pilot to steer a 4-man sled to gold at this level of international competition, solidifying Jamaica’s growing presence in winter sports. This victory also earns the team crucial points on the road to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina.
Many remember Jamaica’s debut in bobsleigh through the 1993 film Cool Runnings, which fictionalized the team’s 1988 Winter Olympic journey. Pat Brown, Jamaica’s coach and the real-life inspiration for John Candy’s character Irving Blitzer, witnessed the historic breakthrough firsthand.
“In 1987 when the team was put together, we literally had four months to get to the Olympic Games. They had never been in the sport. Now we’re building towards it. This win is fantastic,” Brown said. He added that the victory comes at an especially meaningful time, following Jamaica’s recent hurricane devastation. “This gives hope, and the rebuilding in our country is kind of like the rebuilding of our whole program. Our goal is for our people to be on the podium in 2034, and this is certainly a step in the right direction.”
Brown, who has coached bobsleigh teams for Team USA, South Korea, and Jamaica over the decades, also spent four years at the Whistler Sliding Centre helping to develop the next generation of athletes. His dedication has been a guiding force behind Jamaica’s rise in winter sports—a rise that now includes historic international gold.
