Winter Olympics medallist Joel Fearon has competed for Great Britain, Switzerland and Jamaica across bobsleigh and athletics
“The fastest man in the UK this year and he’s not even going to the Olympics.”
That was the line delivered by the commentator as Joel Fearon astonished spectators by completing the 100m in under 10 seconds, surpassing a revered benchmark in athletics.
Unfortunately, this feat occurred just after the qualification deadline for representing Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Now, a decade later, the 37-year-old is participating in his third Winter Olympics, but his first as part of Jamaica’s bobsleigh team, rejoining the sport last year.
He reflects on that day in 2016 as a pivotal moment.
“I don’t know if I ever believed that I could do something like that,” he stated to BBC Local Radio.
“It felt surreal for a long time, as I wasn’t one of the prominent British sprinters.
“Yet, there I was, running sub-10, ranked number one in the country, and it made me realize anything is possible.”
Only four British men have recorded faster times on UK soil than his 9.96 seconds at the England Athletics Championships in Bedford that day.
Speed was just one aspect for Coventry-born Fearon, who balanced work with bobsleigh training.
“I’ve held various jobs, including a stint as a pizza delivery driver,” he recalled.
“I would compete in Diamond Leagues during the day and deliver pizzas in the evening, doing whatever was necessary.”
Joel Fearon, Adam Gemili and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey ran against each other at the 2013 London Diamond League before joining up with the British relay squad at that year’s World Athletics Championships
While athletics was his initial passion, Fearon’s bobsleigh career has been distinctive.
Over 15 years, he has represented Great Britain, Switzerland, and Jamaica.
His bronze medal from the Sochi 2014 Olympics was awarded five years later due to retrospective doping sanctions.
His coach initially suggested bobsleigh, partly to assist his family financially.
“I was struggling financially when the trials came up,” Fearon explained.
“The transition was tough, involving heavy lifting, mechanical work, and long hours in freezing conditions.
“Had I not endured those difficult days, I wouldn’t have achieved what followed.”
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Winter Olympics 2026
Milan-Cortina, February 6-22
Fearon initially finished fifth in the four-man bobsleigh in Sochi, and in retrospect, he wouldn’t change how it unfolded.
“We knew we were capable. The initial result fueled my determination,” he said.
“I immediately went to a relay camp, without fully appreciating the moment.
“Had I received the medal then, I might not have run sub-10 or had the same drive.”
When Fearon received the medal, he was on loan to Switzerland’s bobsleigh team, with whom he won another bronze at the Europe Cup.
“They essentially acquired me to provide experience for one of their junior drivers, Timo Rohner,” he recalled.
“We were the top Swiss team that year. It’s rewarding that Rohner is with me at the Olympics in Milan-Cortina for his first Olympics, and I played a part in his journey.”
Joel Fearon, Bruce Tasker, Stuart Benson and John Jackson were retrospectively awarded Winter Olympic bronze medals in 2019
Like many athletes, Fearon has faced setbacks due to injuries at crucial times.
He has wires in his lower leg bones following a serious injury sustained while running for the British relay team.
“That led to my semi-retirement from athletics; I participated occasionally, but it wasn’t the same,” he said.
“It significantly impacted my athletic career for about two years.”
As that physical pain subsided, his family was struck by an unspeakable tragedy.
In 2023, his sister Natasha Morais was murdered.
Experiencing fear and insomnia, Fearon retired from all sports.
“It was devastating for all of us, and we’re still coping in our ways,” he said.
“I didn’t think I could ever compete again and struggled with anxiety.
“I became afraid to leave my family alone.”
Returning to represent Jamaica has given Fearon a renewed sense of purpose and brought joy to his grieving family.
However, he didn’t necessarily anticipate pushing a sled at another Winter Olympics.
“I was meant to be an athlete and coach, capable of handling various roles, including organizational tasks,” said Fearon, who encountered rapper Snoop Dogg during training in Italy.
“But we ended up getting in the sled. I’ve competed in six races and won all six, so I must be a lucky charm.
“I suspect they’ll have me pushing a few more times before I’m done,” he joked.
Fearon’s father is Jamaican, and his maternal grandparents also hail from the Caribbean island.
“My dad was incredibly proud, more excited about sports than I’ve ever seen him,” he added.
“I didn’t know these guys a year ago, and now they’re like brothers. I’m more excited about their races than my own.
“I’m probably adopting a fatherly role, and seeing their progress is thrilling and makes me wonder how far they can go.”
Another former GB sprinter, Mica Moore, led Jamaica’s bobsleigh team through the opening ceremony in Milan-Cortina
The crossover between Fearon’s two sports is a well-trodden path.
Fellow sprinter and bobsleigher Mica Moore is also part of Jamaica’s squad in Milan-Cortina, having previously switched allegiance from Great Britain.
Four years ago, Montell Douglas became GB’s first female summer and Winter Olympian, while this year, track and field internationals Adele Nicoll and Ashleigh Nelson are in their squad.
They all have explosive power and speed over the initial acceleration phase where pushing the sled effectively is so vital.
They all possess the explosive power and speed crucial for the initial acceleration when pushing the sled effectively.
But perhaps the crossover that Fearon is most excited about is the association with the 1993 hit film Cool Runnings about the Jamaican bobsleigh team.
“I love it because I watched it when I was 10,” he recalled.
“I had no idea I was ever going to have anything to do with bobsleigh at that point, never mind Jamaican bobsleigh.
“I’ve gone from being an Olympic medallist and part of this team, which is great, but now I’m a Disney character. Now I’m in a movie, it’s different.
“We are the most famous team in the world, so it’s for us to go out and do our flag proud.”
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From pizza delivery man to Olympic hopeful
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