Mica Moore to Open Jamaica’s Campaign in Women’s Monobob

 


Mica Moore will officially launch Jamaica’s participation at the XXV Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina when she competes in the women’s monobob on Sunday morning at the Eugenio Monti Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The competition begins at 4:00 a.m., with 25 qualified athletes taking part. Moore is scheduled to start 20th in the opening run. The women’s monobob event will be contested over four runs—two on Sunday and two on Monday—with medals awarded based on the lowest cumulative time across all heats.

At 33 years old, Moore brings an extensive multi-sport background to Jamaica’s Olympic team, including experience in track and field and elite-level bobsleigh. Her appearance also marks a historic moment, as she becomes one of Jamaica’s newest representatives on the global winter sports stage after gaining citizenship in early 2025 through her grandfather.


Key Details

  • Mica Moore will compete in the women’s monobob on Sunday morning.

  • The event begins at 4:00 a.m. local time.

  • Moore is assigned start position number 20 in the first run.

  • The competition features 25 athletes and spans four runs over two days.

  • Final standings will be determined by the lowest combined time.

  • Moore became eligible to compete for Jamaica in January 2025 after receiving citizenship through her grandfather, Venson Byfield.


Background

Moore’s journey to the Olympic stage has followed an unconventional path, blending sprint athletics with elite bobsleigh competition.

Born in the United Kingdom, Moore first gained recognition on the track. She captured the Welsh women’s 100-metre title in 2017 and previously represented Wales as part of the women’s 4x100m relay team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Her transition into bobsleigh proved equally successful. Competing for Great Britain, Moore earned gold in the two-woman event at the 2017 Junior Bobsleigh World Championships, establishing herself as a versatile and powerful athlete capable of excelling across disciplines.

In January 2025, Moore officially began competing for Jamaica after securing Jamaican citizenship through her grandfather, Venson Byfield, one month earlier. Her switch of national representation opened the door for Jamaica to field a competitor in women’s monobob at the Milano Cortina Games.

Moore was also selected as Jamaica’s Opening Ceremony flagbearer, further highlighting her importance to the country’s Winter Olympic delegation.

The women’s monobob event itself is relatively new to the Olympic programme. Designed to provide greater gender parity in sliding sports, the discipline features identical sleds for all competitors, placing greater emphasis on athlete strength, technique, and consistency across multiple runs.


Quotes 

No direct quotes were provided at the time of publication. However, officials confirmed Moore’s start position and competition schedule, noting that final running order for the second heat will be determined by results from the opening run.


Analysis 

Moore’s participation underscores Jamaica’s continued efforts to expand its presence beyond traditional summer sports and into winter competition. While the nation is globally associated with sprinting excellence, recent years have seen growing investment in winter disciplines, including bobsleigh and skeleton.

With 25 athletes contesting the women’s monobob, the margins between competitors are expected to be narrow. Because all sleds are standardized, success depends heavily on start speed, driving precision, and the ability to maintain control through technical sections of the track.

Moore’s background as a sprinter gives her a potential advantage at the start gate, where explosive power is critical. Her previous success in two-woman bobsleigh also provides valuable experience in navigating high-speed sliding environments.

Starting 20th places Moore later in the opening order, allowing her to observe track conditions and competitor strategies before her first descent. However, it also means she must deliver clean, efficient runs from the outset to remain competitive in cumulative timing.

For Jamaica, Moore’s appearance represents both athletic ambition and symbolic progress, reflecting how diaspora connections and athlete development pathways can strengthen smaller nations’ Olympic participation.


Our Opinion

Mica Moore’s debut in the women’s monobob marks an encouraging step forward for Jamaica’s Winter Olympic programme. Her diverse athletic background and international experience provide a strong foundation, even in a highly competitive field. While podium expectations may be measured, her presence alone highlights Jamaica’s expanding footprint in winter sports. With continued investment and athlete development, performances like Moore’s could help inspire future generations and broaden Jamaica’s Olympic identity beyond traditional arenas.

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