Calgary Slider Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson Updates 'Cool Runnings' Angle for Milano Cortina Games
Canadian Olympic bobsledder Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson is embracing the unique connections between his athletic journey and the iconic bobsled film Cool Runnings as he prepares for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games. The former diver, who narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Summer Olympics just two years ago, now finds himself representing Canada in bobsled with a story that echoes the beloved sports movie.
From Diving to Bobsled: An Olympic Transformation
Eskrick-Parkinson's transition from diving to bobsled represents a remarkable athletic pivot that has positioned him on the Olympic stage. The 25-year-old Calgarian signed an oversized boarding pass to Italy during the team's announcement at Olympic Heights School in Calgary in January 2026, symbolizing his journey to the Winter Games. His background as a former diver brings unique physical capabilities to his role as a brakeman in the four-man bobsled event.
Embracing the Cool Runnings Connection
"Absolutely," said Eskrick-Parkinson with a chuckle when asked about the Cool Runnings parallels. "What's cool about it is I do kind of have all these ties to just the story of Cool Runnings itself."
The connections run deeper than just shared Jamaican heritage. Eskrick-Parkinson attended the National Sport School at Canada Olympic Park, the site of the 1988 sliding events, where he occasionally observed both Canadian and Jamaican bobsledders training at the Canadian Sport Institute at WinSport. He also knows Marselles Brown, who bobsledded for Jamaica before representing Canada.
"If you asked me back then," continued the athlete, "I wouldn't have expected to have been putting those things together in some way. But there's some sort of connection there that I can definitely appreciate."
Calgary's Strong Presence on the Canadian Bobsled Team
The Calgary area boasts significant representation on Canada's 14-member bobsled team competing in Cortina. Four athletes hail from the region, including:
- Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson (Calgary) - crew member
- Bianca Ribi (Calgary) - pilot
- Skylar Sieben (Cochrane, Alberta) - crew member
- Eden Wilson (Calgary) - alternate
All four athletes are making their Olympic debut in Cortina, with Eskrick-Parkinson participating in four-man bobsled action that began with training runs at the Cortina Sliding Centre. The competition schedule includes heats on Saturday at 4 a.m. ET and 5:57 a.m. ET, followed by final heats on Sunday at 4 a.m. ET and 6:15 a.m. ET.
Building for Olympic Success
Eskrick-Parkinson approaches the Games with both immediate and long-term goals in mind. "Yeah ... so the big goal, obviously, is to build medal-potential teams for the Olympics," he explained, acknowledging what he considers a bobsleigh program in rebuild mode. "We have our sights on this Olympics but also on the next Olympics, as well."
The athlete's journey from diving to bobsled, combined with his unique connections to bobsledding history and the Cool Runnings legacy, creates a compelling narrative as he represents Canada on the world stage. His story exemplifies the diverse paths athletes can take to reach the Olympic Games and how personal heritage can intersect with sporting achievement in meaningful ways.
