The Jamaican Bobsled Team Is Happening
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Source: Disney
Get on up — it's bobsled time! Cool Runnings 2 is on. Twenty-six years ago, the underdog team went for gold at the Calgary Games and inspired Disney's 1993 feel-good film. Now, athletes from the tropical nation are giving it another go. This time, their unlikely road to the Olympics has all the touches of the 21st century. Here's what you need to know:
- The Jamaican bobsled team qualified, but, just like in 1988, it had to raise funds for equipment and travel.
- Instead of singing in the streets or setting up a kissing booth to raise money like in Cool Runnings, the team took to crowd-funding site Crowdtilt and raised over $100,000.
- There is even an official hashtag, #JamaicanBobsled.
- The Internet's generosity seemed to wear off on the Jamaican Olympic Association, which announced Monday that it will pay for the travel expenses to Sochi, Russia.
- The roster still has star power. Perhaps to acclimate to the cold, the bobseld team traveled to the Sundance Film Festival this week, where they scoped out sponsors. According to reports, festivalgoers were as eager to snap pics with the athletes as with the other celebrities gathered in Park City, UT.
Relive the Cool Runnings magic with the trailer below.