Forget Cool Runnings: Inside the real Jamaican bobsled team

Devon Harris grew up in a tough area of Kingston, Jamaica, called Olympic Gardens. He dreamed of taking part in the Olympics, but living on a tropical island meant winter sports were never on his radar. For him, school was his haven away from the violence he witnessed in his neighbourhood and he worked hard in the classroom and on the sports field so that he could one day fulfil his dream of becoming an army officer. It was during his time in the Jamaica Defence Force that his sporting talent was spotted and he ended up getting a spot on Jamaica’s first-ever bobsleigh team. The Jamaicans made history at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, but this wasn’t anything like Cool Runnings – the 1993 Hollywood film inspired by the team’s story – the reality was much tougher and much more rewarding.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Andrea Rangecroft

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Image description: Left to Right, Michael White, Dudley Stokes, Devon Harris and Frederick Powell. A black and white photo shows the 4 members of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team on a tropical beach in Kingston. They are standing in front of what appears to be a training sled. They are holding helmets and wearing gloves. The two in the middle, which includes Devon Harris, are bare-chested, and the other two wear white t-shirts, one of which says Jamaica Bobsled. Credit: Will and Deni McIntyre/Getty Images)