1998 flag bearer gives Winter Games team the thumbs up

When Benjamin Alexander and Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian marched the Jamaica flag into the opening ceremony at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China, retired Winter Olympian Ricky McIntosh was filled with pride. McIntosh, who was Jamaica’s flag bearer at the 1998 Games, has given the 2022 team the thumbs up and is watching keenly.

An Olympian in both 1992 and 1998, McIntosh is delighted that Jamaica is back in the Games with its biggest team ever. “You know, it’s a good look. We qualified the most Winter Olympics athletes since the inception (of Jamaica going) in 1988, so it’s good,” he said.

“We have a four-man team qualifying. The women qualified for the two-man and, for the first time, the mono-bob qualified, which is a good job, good job to the guys”, he said, lauding all who have been involved.

It’s the first time Jamaica has qualified for three bobsled events. In addition, the last time Jamaica contested the four-man event, it was 1998 and McIntosh was in action.

The opening ceremony brought back fond memories for McIntosh, who is now a teacher and a respected track and field official.

FIRST TIME CARRYING FLAG “I can remember my first time carrying the flag for the opening ceremony, in Japan 1998. It’s a good feeling. You go in that stadium and you hear the crowd and it’s, it’s, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just a good feeling,” he said.

He thinks more media coverage could raise the profile of winter sports in Jamaica. “It’s just that it’s a winter sport and, you know, most Jamaicans don’t really understand or know about the sport because there’s not much highlight when it comes to sports commentary or anything. You know, it’s just football, track and field, the major sports. We’re getting better,” he said.

McIntosh hoped sponsors will back the team in the future.

“There’s a good building programme. You know, we just need sponsorship. That’s the biggest problem the team has had over the years, sponsorship,” he underscored.

Asked to advise those who might want to get involved, he said, “Listen, the one thing that kept me in the team for so long, you have to love it.”

The two-time Olympian then outlined what that meant to him. “The love of it, the travel, the speed, the excitement, the adrenaline. Some people are, like, ‘the sport is dangerous’ but I guess sometimes a little danger is good,” McIntosh concluded.

The Games began on February 4 and will end on February 20. The Jamaican team includes one representative who came to winter sport from athletics. Ronaldo Reid, who will be in the four-man bobsled, won gold medals for Munro College at Boys and Girls’ Championships in the Class Three 100 metres and the javelin.