Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda said he was not surprised by the strong performance of the Jamaican ice hockey team with only a third of the way through the challenge series in the United States, which also includes Puerto Rico and Lebanon, remaining.
Jamaica maintained their lead in the tournament standings after winning two of four games in the series in New York and five wins from eight games overall in the tournament.
The team also tops the scoring charts with 52 goals, ahead of second-placed Lebanon's 43.
Samuda had such high praise for the ice hockey team that he nicknamed them “Soldiers on Ice.”
“The performance of our ice hockey team was not a surprise to me at all,” he said.
“I've had the honor of watching the team play previously, and as I call them 'Warriors on the Ice,' it was truly impressive to see them come out on top. Their dedication to making their country proud was truly exemplary. So I'm not surprised at all.”
“We hope they will perform well again in the next round,” he added.
Samuda said the success of the ice hockey team is proof that Jamaica can succeed in non-traditional sporting areas.
He said the growth of ice hockey is in line with the JOA's mission to increase national profile in various winter sporting events.
“Starting in 2021, the Jamaica Olympic Association has stated that one of its main goals is to increase the number of winter sports that Jamaica participates in, and we are working towards that goal with ice hockey.”
Samuda explained that the JOA's long-term goal is for Jamaica to not only be a consistent strong presence at the Summer Olympics, but also to be a major player at the Winter Olympics.
He said the JOA has been advocating for the development of winter athletics in Jamaica.
“We are part of a movement to remove the pre-requisite of having an ice rink so that Jamaica and other countries that do not have ice rinks can participate in the Winter Olympics,” he said.
“We see a bright future for ice hockey and if we can remove that prerequisite, all teams will be competitive.”
