Jamaica at the Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jamaica at the Olympics
IOC code	JAM
NOC	Jamaica Olympic Association
Medals Ranked 40th	Gold Silver Bronze Total 27 39 28 94
Summer appearances
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winter appearances
1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018
Other related appearances
British West Indies (1960)

Jamaica is a Caribbean island nation famous for its amazing athletes. The country first sent a team to the Olympic Games in 1948. Since then, Jamaican athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games. For a short time in 1960, they competed as part of a combined team called the West Indies Federation.

Jamaica is best known for its sprinters. These super-fast runners have won almost all of the country's 94 Olympic medals. But Jamaica has also made a name for itself in the Winter Olympic Games! The Jamaica national bobsleigh team first competed in 1988 and became famous around the world.

The group that organizes Jamaica's Olympic teams is the Jamaica Olympic Association, which was created in 1936.

Jamaica's Olympic Journey

Jamaica has a long history at the Olympics. The country usually competes on its own. However, in 1960, Jamaica joined with Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to compete as one team called the West Indies Federation. After that one event, Jamaica went back to competing as its own nation.

Medal Tables

These tables show how many medals Jamaica has won at the Olympic Games.

Medals by Summer Games

This table shows the medals won by Jamaica at each Summer Olympics since 1948.

Games	Athletes	1 Gold	2 Silver	3 Bronze	Total	Rank
1948 London	13	1	2	0	3	20
1952 Helsinki	8	2	3	0	5	13
1956 Melbourne	6	0	0	0	0	–
1960 Rome	as part of the  British West Indies (BWI)
1964 Tokyo	21	0	0	0	0	–
1968 Mexico City	25	0	1	0	1	39
1972 Munich	33	0	0	1	1	43
1976 Montreal	20	1	1	0	2	21
1980 Moscow	18	0	0	3	3	34
1984 Los Angeles	45	0	1	2	3	28
1988 Seoul	35	0	2	0	2	34
1992 Barcelona	36	0	3	1	4	38
1996 Atlanta	46	1	3	2	6	39
2000 Sydney	45	0	6	3	9	54
2004 Athens	47	2	1	2	5	35
2008 Beijing	50	5	4	2	11	15
2012 London	50	4	5	4	13	18
2016 Rio de Janeiro	56	6	3	2	11	16
2020 Tokyo	48	4	1	4	9	21
2024 Paris	58	1	3	2	6	44
2028 Los Angeles
Total		27	39	28	94	38

Medals by Winter Games

Jamaica is famous for its bobsleigh team, but the country has not yet won a medal at the Winter Olympics.

Games	Athletes	1 Gold	2 Silver	3 Bronze	Total	Rank
1988 Calgary	4	0	0	0	0	–
1992 Albertville	5	0	0	0	0	–
1994 Lillehammer	4	0	0	0	0	–
1998 Nagano	6	0	0	0	0	–
2002 Salt Lake City	2	0	0	0	0	–
2006 Turin	did not participate
2010 Vancouver	1	0	0	0	0	–
2014 Sochi	2	0	0	0	0	–
2018 Pyeongchang	3	0	0	0	0	–
2022 Beijing	6	0	0	0	0	–
2026 Milan/Cortina	future event
	future event
	future event
Total		0	0	0	0	–

Medals by Summer Sport

This table shows which sports Jamaican athletes have won medals in. As you can see, almost all of them are in athletics!

Sports	1 Gold	2 Silver	3 Bronze	Total	Rank
Athletics	27	39	27	93	8
Cycling	0	0	1	1	45
Total	27	39	28	94	38

Famous Jamaican Olympians

Jamaica has produced some of the greatest athletes in Olympic history. Here are a few of the most famous medal winners.

Usain Bolt

Often called the fastest man alive, Usain Bolt is a global superstar. He won eight gold medals across three different Olympics (2008, 2012, and 2016). He is famous for winning the "sprint double" by getting gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races at three Olympics in a row.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is one of the most successful female sprinters of all time. Known for her powerful starts and colorful hair, she has won a total of eight Olympic medals. This includes three gold medals. She won the 100-meter race at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Merlene Ottey

Merlene Ottey had one of the longest careers in track and field. She competed in seven Olympic Games! Over her amazing career, she won nine Olympic medals for Jamaica, including three silver and six bronze medals. She is a true legend of the sport.

Arthur Wint

Arthur Wint was Jamaica's very first Olympic gold medalist. At the 1948 London Olympics, he won the gold medal in the men's 400-meter race. He also won a silver medal in the 800-meter race at the same games. He helped start Jamaica's long tradition of success in athletics.

See also

In Spanish: Jamaica en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños

• List of flag bearers for Jamaica at the Olympics
• Tropical nations at the Winter Olympics