Jamaica to Showcase Iconic Bobsleigh Legacy During Expo 2025 in Japan

Jamaica’s iconic bobsleigh legacy will be incorporated into the design for the country’s pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

Commissioner General of Section for Jamaica’s Pavilion, Maureen Smith, told JIS News that this decision was driven by in-depth research of what the Japanese find most intriguing about the island.

“We know that they are huge consumers of our music and coffee, being the main importer, as they account for 70 per cent of exports. However, outside of that, the recurring responses for what they were most excited about were Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and the Bobsleigh team or the ‘Cool Runnings’ movie,” she said.

A training sled, on loan from the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, along with sculptures of Jamaican icons Bob Marley and Usain Bolt, also on loan from S Hotel, are currently in storage awaiting shipment to Japan, ahead of Expo 2025.

Mrs. Smith informed that Jamaica’s Ambassador to Japan, Her Excellency Shorna-Kay Richards, was integral in establishing the connection with the Federation to secure the training sled for use at the Expo.

“We are extremely grateful for this very kind partnership that will certainly be a special highlight of Jamaica’s presence at the upcoming World Expo in 2025. The Cool Runnings movie still resonates with the Japanese, who will make up about 70 per cent of the expected 28 million visitors to the Expo,” she added.

For his part, Federation President, Chris Stokes, said he was pleased to make the training sled available for the Expo, and expressed the hope that it would be well received.

“As the creators and guardians of one of Jamaica’s and the Olympic movement’s most iconic brands –The Jamaica Bobsleigh Team – we understand the responsibility we have to use that brand to promote and continue to develop Jamaica in sport, socially and economically,” he stated.

Slated for April 13 to October 13, 2025, Expo 2025 will be held under the theme ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’.

Jamaica will exhibit under the sub theme ‘Connecting Lives’, with its Pavilion titled, ‘Out of Many, One People: Let’s Link Up’.