By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Jan. 20, 2014: With global coverage on Jamaica’s two-man bobsled team, Team Jamaica, The Jamaica Olympic Association has now announced it will cover travel costs for a five-member team to get from Wyoming, USA to Sochi, Russia on Feb. 4th.
The news comes as the team qualified for a spot in the 2014 Winter Games and turned to crowdfunding to raise $80,000 needed to cover their trip, after it was disclosed the JOA was not going to meet those costs. The team has raised over $41,000 so far.
The JOA, however, yesterday said it would help the team of Winston Watts, Marvin Dixon (crew), Wayne Blackwood (alternate crew), Thomas Samuel (coach) and Nelson Christian Stokes (Chef de Mission) get to Sochi.
Accommodation and transportation will be met by the Organizing Committee for the Games in Sochi.
The team will arrive is scheduled to arrive in Russia on Feb. 4th and first official event will be the Flag Raising Ceremony in the athletes’ village on February 5th.
The Opening Ceremony of the Games will be on Friday, February 7 and the competition for the 2 Men Bobsleigh team will take place on February 19 and 20.
“The JOA, through its solidarity program, has given significant financial assistance to the Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation which has been used to enable the team to qualify for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games. All travel costs of the team from Salt Lake City (USA), Calgary (Canada) and Kingston, Jamaica to Sochi are covered by the JOA and Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee,” said the JOA through a release. “As is customary, all local expenses including accommodation and transportation are met by the Organising Committee for the Games,” the release continued.
Jamaica first competed in bobsled at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics – a feat that was later captured by the popular Disney film ‘Cool Runnings.’
The island also competed in the event in 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002, but missed the last two Winter Olympics.
To DONATE to the Team’s future development: https://bit.ly/1e8S3PT (Federation PayPal account – Email cs*****@ja******************.com) OR wire transfer to 1st Bank-Division of Glacier Bank (Memo: Jamaica Bobsled Team A.A.A), Bank Routing #102300336; Acct: #910100009141; Address: 1001 Main Street, P.O. Box 6003, Evanston, WY 82930
• Phone: 876-908-4470
• Email: ad***@ja******************.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jambobteam
• Twitter/Instagram: @JamaicaBobsled #JamaicaBobsledTeam
• Website: https://www.jamaicabobsleighteam.com
