Key Links: 

• Instagram: @wattwinston
• Twitter: @wwatt4
• Facebook

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Laura chats with four-time Olympic bobsledder from Jamaica, Winston Watts, on this week’s episode of the podcast. Not a far cry from “Cool Runnings”, Winston was recognized as a stellar athlete in the army and was given the opportunity to try out for the bobsled team. Shortly after excelling at all of the physical tests, he packed up and relocated to Wyoming where he experienced his first winter, first actual bobsled track, and first moments of considering giving up. 

His determination to persevere led him to four Olympics and gave him the endurance to forge ahead even when all odds were against him. The spirit of the Jamaican bobsled team has been evident at the Olympics for several decades; the underdog story of a Caribbean team at the Winter Games with contagious positivity never gets old. 

In 2010, Winston came out of retirement to help the struggling team return to the 2012 Games in Sochi after missing several years due to funding that inhibited their ability to qualify. He used personal money, favors from friends, and his charisma to spread the plight of the under-resourced team to the entire world. Their training, visas, equipment, flights, and experience was crowd-sourced from New York to Abu Dhabi. Winston has always been committed to spreading goodness and encouragement to whomever he meets and his story of commitment and optimism is a bright light in what can be a cut-throat industry. 

Learn more here: http://www.hopesports.org/jamaican-olympic-bobsledder-winston-watts

For further information about trips with Hope Sports visit www.hopesports.org. 

For more about our host, visit www.laurawilkinson.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. 

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Produced by Simpler Media