Trinidad and Tobago will celebrate a historic Milano Cortina 2026, after seven athletes from the sports of bobsleigh and alpine skiing were officially selected* to represent the Caribbean nation at the Olympic Winter Games on Saturday (24 January).
Pilot Axel Brown and Shakeel John, who represented the Caribbean nation at Beijing 2022, are among the five-strong squad of bobsleigh athletes set to compete in four-man and two-man events after Trinidad and Tobago secured quotas in both events for the first time at a single Games.
Until now, athletes from the country have only ever competed in the two-man bobsleigh, with Lillehammer 1994 marking their first appearance in the event.
De Aundre John, Xaverri Williams, and Micah Moore will round out the bobsled squad, competing at the Cortina Sliding Centre, in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
In another first for Trinidad and Tobago, two athletes will also compete in alpine skiing, marking the country’s debut in the discipline.
Emma Gatcliffe is set to ski in the giant slalom event, while Nikhil Alleyene will take on slalom.
“This achievement is a powerful reminder that Trinidad and Tobago athletes continue to push boundaries and redefine what is possible,” Chef de Mission Lovie Santana-Duke said in a statement.
“The return of our bobsleigh team to the Winter Olympic Games and the historic debut of our alpine team reflect the resilience, ambition, and courage of our athletes. We are incredibly proud of their journey and look forward to supporting them as they represent our nation on the world stage.”
*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the Milano Cortina Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Milano Cortina 2026.