From fisherman to pilot: Jamaican bobsledder Shane Pitter makes his olympic debut

From fishing in the warm waters of Jamaica to racing on the Olympic ice at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Shane Pitter's journey represents a bold new chapter for Jamaican bobsled.

by sportswriters Wang Chujie, Zhou Xin and Zhang Yueshan

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Shane Pitter had little connection with ice and snow a few years ago.

At 26, he was filming videos of himself fishing at sea and doing fitness training, introducing himself as "a young man living in Jamaica." His world was filled with waves, sunshine and diving - not bobsleds, icy tracks or timing screens.

"At first, I didn't even know what bobsled was," Pitter recalled.

The turning point came after the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. At a track and field event, a Jamaican bobsled athlete who had competed at the 2022 Games approached him and a friend.

"He asked me and my friend, 'Do you guys want to join bobsled?' But at first, I didn't know what bobsled was. So he said, 'A little tiny box that you push down the hills.' And I was like, 'Wow, that sounds fun.' So I was like, 'Me, me, me. I wanna join.'"

The athlete took his number, but there was no immediate response.

"I was there waiting for almost two months," he said. "Then I went to my mom and said, 'Mom, I haven't received a call.' And she said, 'Just be patient, just be patient.'"

One day, the long-awaited call finally came, informing him of the training schedule.

"I said to mom, 'Mom, should I go? Because I've been waiting so long.' She said, 'Shane, yes, you should give it a shot.' And here I am."

After joining the team, Pitter began to understand the legacy of Jamaican bobsled - four men who competed at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics despite having almost no access to ice and snow, a story later immortalized in the film Cool Runnings.

"Those pioneers really inspired me," he said. "Even when they crashed, they picked up the sled and crossed the finish line. That wasn't just competition - that was sportsmanship."

It took Pitter four years to go from a complete beginner to an Olympian.

In the early days, driving did not come easily.

"My coach told me to go up the wall in the corner, and I did the opposite. I was just hitting the walls," he said. "After that, I kept watching the first-person footage of the track, breaking down every corner. I was learning every day, getting better day by day."

"At first, I was competing and learning at the same time. I just focused on one thing - how to win."

This season, Pitter collected multiple medals on the North American Cup circuit, including stage victories. When he first stood atop the podium, he could hardly believe it.

"After I crossed the line, I was still worried they might adjust the time," he said.

Today, when people mention Jamaican bobsled, many still think of the movie. Pitter respects that history but stresses the present.

"We respect that history. But what we're experiencing now is real life. This is our job. We are professional athletes."

At the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Pitter made his Olympic debut in the men's two-man bobsled. In the third run on Tuesday, he and his teammate clocked 55.97 seconds - their best of the three heats - but finished 22nd overall and missed out on the final run.

After the race, Pitter appeared reluctant to settle for that result.

"Being here is an honor, but we represent more than ourselves," he said. "Jamaica is not just here to participate. We want to prove ourselves. In the four-man event, I hope we can perform better together."

Off the ice, he remains close to the sea.

After the season, he plans to return home to Jamaica to fish and film videos about life at sea. Spearfishing is his favorite.

"Before, fishing was how I made my living," he said. "Now it's more for fun."

Asked whether fishing and bobsled have anything in common, he smiled. "On the mental side, it's the same - stay focused, stay patient, start with a smile, don't panic."

When asked about the rapid progress of the Chinese bobsled team in recent years, Pitter offered encouragement.

"They're doing good," he said. "Just continue to believe in themselves, believe in the coaches and the supporters that we have. Just continue to do it. Never stop. It doesn't matter what happens. Because you see us - Jamaica, from the Caribbean - we fight really hard. If you give up, you're not giving yourself a chance."

Looking ahead, his ambition is clear.

"I want to make history. I want to make Jamaica and the Caribbean proud." ■