Jamaica qualifies for four-man bobsled at Olympics for first time since 1998

Jamaica has qualified for the four-man bobsled event at the Winter Olympics for the first time in over two decades, the team announced Monday. 

In addition to the four-man event, the Caribbean country will be sending a team to the Beijing Games for the two-man bobsled and woman's monobob. It is the first time in Olympic history that Team Jamaican has qualified for three bobsled events. 

Team Jamaica last competed in the four-man bobsled event in the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan. The 1993 film Cool Runnings was inspired by the true story of Jamaica's first national bobsled team in 1988. 

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Although the four-man roster has not been announced yet, Shanwayne Stephens has been piloting the four-man sled in international events with Rolando Reid, Ashley Watson and Matthew Wekpe as push athletes.

Team Jamaica also recently announced that Benjamin Alexander will be the country's first Olympic alpine skier to represent the country in the Games. 

The Olympics are set to begin Feb. 4.

Contact Analis Bailey at aabailey@usatoday.com or on Twitter @analisbailey.