With so much to see and follow during this year’s 2018 Winter Olympics, we’re keeping score, and you in the loop with our weeklong live-blog updates.
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018
Jamaica’s women’s bobsled team successfully completes their Olympic run.
With a time of 51.83 in Heat 3 and 51.32 in Heat 4, the team has finished with a total time time 3:25.94.
Congrats to @Jambobsled! @JazmineFenlator and @Carriegoogle, you’ve represented your country well. #TeamJamaica #OlympicGames2018 @redstripe pic.twitter.com/GNQpYjdKaW
— NationalWeekly (@NationalWeekly) February 21, 2018
Final results for all teams will be released at the end of the heat.
Tuesday, February 20th, 2018
Loose bolts cause the team to place 19th overall after two heats
Loose bolts on Jamaica’s sled are believed to be responsible for the team’s underwhelming performance in their first two heats of the women’s bobsled competition at the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea on Tuesday.
The Jamaicans clocked times of 51.29s and 51.50s in Heats 1 and 2, respectively, to be 19th overall and on the brink of elimination from the competition.
The team of Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian and Carrie Russell now need to finish in the top 10 in tomorrow’s Heat 3 to be assured of advancing to the medal round, Heat 4.
Jamaican women’s bobsled team make their debut
Jamaica’s women’s bobsled team members Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian (pilot) and Carrie Russell (brakewoman) made their Olympic debut today with a time of 51.29 seconds, putting them in 17th place on their first run. Also making its debut was the new bobsled donated by Jamaican beverage company Red Stripe, coming through to save the day last week after the team’s coach departed with their most critical piece of equipment.
Congrats to #TeamJamaica @jambobsled @JazmineFenlator and @Carriegoogle who made their Olympic debut today with a time of 51.29 seconds, putting them in 17th place on their first run. pic.twitter.com/TlwJJxipiC
— NationalWeekly (@NationalWeekly) February 20, 2018
Nigeria’s bobsled team also made their debut in this year’s Olympic games. Pilot Seun Adigun and Brakewoman Akuoma Omeoga finished with a time of 52.21 seconds.
The next and final race will be tomorrow morning, airing at 8:01 a.m. on NBC.
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Races to watch this week:
Tuesday, February 20 – Women’s bobsleigh Heat 1
Women’s bobsleigh Heat 2
Wednesday, February 21 – Women’s bobsleigh Heat 3
Women’s bobsleigh Heat 4
Flaherty finishes alpine skiing at 73rd
Puerto Rico’s Charles Flaherty finished 73rd in the giant slalom (alpine skiing) race with a time of 2:56.05 (1:28.50 on his first run, and 1:27.55 on his second run). There were 110 participants with Marcel Hirscher of Austria winning his second gold medal in the event. Flaherty, 17, is the island’s first Olympian to compete in 20 years.
Friday, February 16th, 2018
Red Stripe keeps the Jamaican bobsled team on the ice
Less than one week ago, Jamaica’s first female bobsled team to qualify for and compete in the Winter Olympics found themselves in an unthinkable quandary – their coach quit the team, taking the bobsled with her. While many expressed outrage and solidarity with the team, Jamaican beverage company Red Stripe showed just how powerful social media can be in changing circumstances.
No bobsled, no problem. If you need a new ride @Jambobsled, put it on @RedStripe’s tab. DM us and we’ll be in touch ??
— Red Stripe USA (@RedStripeUSA) February 15, 2018
The team is now in possession of the Red-Stripe bobsled and back on track in preparation for their upcoming race.
Finish line celebration shows the truest form of sportsmanship
When Mexico’s cross-country skier German Madrazo crossed the finish line, he was met with a hero’s welcome from his fellow competitors. Madrazo was the last athlete to complete the 15km race coming in at 115th, however his determination and spirit carried him triumphantly to the end where he was greeted by Sebastian Uprimny of Colombia, Morocco’s Samir Azzimani and Portugal’s Kequyen Lam, and Pita Taufatofua, the infamous shirtless flagbearer representing Tonga in both the current games and the Summer 2016 games in Brazil.
For these athletes who hail from countries where snow is not in abundance, to qualify and compete in the Olympics has been an accomplishment in itself. Madrazo, 43, is a first-time Olympian who only took up skiing last year. Switzerland’s Dario Cologna, who won the competition with at time of 33 minutes, 43.9 seconds, also joined the celebration.
Thursday, February 15th, 2018
Jamaica Skeleton slider Anthony Watson failed in his bid to qualify for the next round of the event, after completing the third heat of the men’s event at the Olympic Sliding Centre on Thursday.
The good news for the 28-year-old Jamaican would be that he did at least improve on a second-round run, which saw him clock 54.04 on the previous day, but after another difficult start meant that it would be far from his best. Watson clocked 53.35 to remain in 29 well short of his heat 1 mark of 53.13.
Despite not making it to the medal round, Watson created history by being the first athlete to compete for Jamaica in this winter sport. Heading into the competition he held a world ranking of 74th.
