Sports is an integral part of Jamaican culture. One of their most popular sports, cricket, was injected into the culture by the British. Other popular sports are athletics, football and netball. Rugby is also quickly gaining in popularity.

The Jamaican national cricket team has won seven WICB Cups and ten Regional Four Day Competitions. There are also a number of Jamaican players in the West Indies cricket team, which took the 1975 and 1979 Cricket World Cup. Courtney Walsh, Michael Holding, George Headley and Chris Gayle as some of the most famous Jamaican cricketers.

Football is also very popular in Jamaica, and the national football team has also been doing well on the international stage. They have won the Caribbean Cup six times (1991, 1998, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014).

Usain Bolt Usain Bolt, one of the greatest athletes to come from Jamaica

Athletics, sprinting to be specific, is also where Jamaica does particularly well. Usain Bolt, a world record holder for 100m and 200m, as well as Asafa Powell who also was a record holder for the 100m, are both from Jamaica. Olympic silver medalist Yohan Blake took home his medal from the 2012 London Games for Jamaica.

Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Jamaica.

Popular sports of Jamaica

Jamaican Sporting Success

  • Jamaican Bobsled Team (since 1988 Winter Olympics)
  • Sprinter Usain Bolt became the first man to win gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m sprints at the 2008 Olympics, and he repeated his 100m gold in London 2012. He also won three gold medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
  • Jamaica won 13 trophies at the London 2012 Olympics (4 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze medals).
  • Jamaica won 11 trophies at the Rio 2016 Olympics (6 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals).
  • Jamaica won 9 trophies at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (4 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals).
  • Jamaica won 6 trophies at the 2024 Paris Olympics (1 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals).

Great athletes from Jamaica

  • Usain Bolt (athletics)
  • Asafa Powell (athletics)
  • Merlene Ottey (athletics)
  • Patrick Ewing (Basketball)
  • Courtney Walsh (Test Cricketer)
  • Don Quarrie (Jamaican 200 Meter Gold Medalist)
  • Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (athletics)
  • Yohan Blake (athletics)
  • Veronica Campbell-Brown (athletics)
  • Chris Gayle (athletics)

Jamaica Sports trivia

  • Jamaica first competed at the Olympic Games in 1948.
  • Jamaica competes in world cricket as part of the West Indies.
  • The national soccer team is called the 'Reggae Boyz'.
  • The Jamaican netball team is called the 'Sunshine girls'.
  • Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell has the most finishes under 10 seconds in the 100m.

Jamaica at major events

Past sporting events hosted in Jamaica

  • 1966 Commonwealth Games Kingston
  • 2007 Cricket World Cup hosted by the West Indies
  • Grand Slam Track Event 2025 (Kingston, Jamaica)

Annual sporting events held in Jamaica

  • Jamaica International Invitational - It is an annual track and field event that takes place in Kingston.
  • The Jamaica Classic - It is an annual basketball tournament that takes place in Kingston.
  • The Jamaica National Senior Championships - It is an annual track and field event that takes place in the Caribbean and features some of the best athletes from the region.
  • The Jamaica Open Golf Championship - It is one of the popular golf tournaments in the Caribbean and features some of the best teams from the region.
  • The Jamaica International Cricket Festival - This is one of the popular cricket tournaments in the Caribbean and features some of the best teams from the region.
  • The Jamaica National Netball Championships - This is also one of the popular netball tournaments in the Caribbean and features some of the best teams from the region.
  • The Jamaica National Football Championships - It is an annual football tournament that takes place in Kingston.

Sporting Facilities in Jamaica

Other

Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let me know.