Jamaica's four-man bobsled team will be competing in this year's Winter Olympics for the first time in 24 years.

Like the country's 1988 team that inspired the film "Cool Runnings," this team had to overcome extraordinary odds to make it to the Games during the pandemic. It has forced them to get creative in their approach to training.

"I had to create a home gym in my garden," Shanwayne Stephens, a bobsled pilot said. "Pushing a car up and down the street to get a sort of distance training done."

The men aren't the only bobsledders who will be representing Team Jamaica at the Olympics. Veteran Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian will also be racing in the inaugural women's monobob competition.

"I'm really excited to compete among the world's best," Fenlator-Victorian said. "I think there is a lot of advantages for people that might be the dark horse and I include myself in that, to really raise the bar and have a performance that's unexpected."

The island team is preparing to take on bobsled powerhouses like Switzerland and Germany.

While the team says it has looked to the older generation for wisdom and even the movie for some techniques, they want the world to see them as more than just the new "Cool Runnings" team.

"We love that they love the movie, but we want that focus to shift from the movie to us being competitive athletes out to win medals," Stephens said. "If we can do that with this Olympics, then I think the combination of us being competitive athletes and the movie will spark a massive shift and love for Jamaica bobsled and Jamaica as a whole."

This story was originally published by Meg Hilling of Newsy.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Preparation and dedication. That’s what led Richard Torrez Jr. to become an Olympic silver medalist.

“I mean, I’ve imagined myself saying it ever since I was a little kid, but to be able to actually say it is amazing," Torrez Jr. said.

By competing in the Tokyo Olympics, he fulfilled a three-generation dream. And on Sunday, the super heavyweight boxer earned a silver medal.

“Ever since I was little, I wanted to be just like my dad. The first time I ever saw him spar, I saw him drop a guy with a body shot and it was the coolest thing I ever saw," Torrez Jr. said.

His dad, Richard Torrez Sr., will be the first to tell you boxing is in the Torrez family blood.

“He didn’t get to finish that Olympic journey and I know that’s been a dream not just of mine but of his and my grandpa's. And to be able to be the one that does it, I’m just happy that I could bear that weight," Torrez Sr. said. “I fought for many years until I was 30. I went to the Olympic trials. I was ranked in two weight classes in the world. Every generation has had successful things and each generation has done a little better and he’s doing the ultimate for us which is the Olympics that we all wanted to go to and he gets to go for us all.”

The history for this central California family traces back to 1945 when Torrez Jr.’s grandfather paved the way with the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club.

“When he passed away, I took over the gym, and my son was very young and he uh, same thing I did, started coming to the gym, and I told my wife if he’s gonna box, he’s gotta box until he’s 16," Torrez Sr. said.

But it didn’t end there.

“I’ve been to 13 different countries. I’ve traveled the world. I got to meet new people," Torrez Jr. said. “It’s taught me about dedication, it’s taught me about post one gratification, it’s taught me about how you have to sacrifice things now for the benefit of the future, and my dad stood on the shoulders of my grandpa and I’m standing on the shoulders of my dad, so I got a pretty good view right now.”

And that view got even closer because, in 2020, the Olympic qualifiers were canceled.

“And man I was really nervous, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know what was going to happen next so I called my dad," Torrez Jr. said.

Richard Torrez Sr. put on one of his many hats and pushed his son to where he is now.

“My dad wears three hats, you know, he’s the coach hat, the dad hat, and the boss hat," Torrez Jr. said.

“It’s going to happen, don’t worry. It’s going to take a little time. It gives us another year to train, to hone our skills, it’s going to happen don’t worry," Torrez Sr. said.

Now, one year later, the 22-year-old can confidently say the wait was worth it.

“That’s a dream we’ve all had and that’s a dream that’s coming true," Torrez Jr. said.

He’s fulfilling the legacies of the boxers before him.

“Him being able to carry on tradition, it validates all the years of hard work," Torrez Sr. said. “Oh my gosh, if he was here, I’d have to push him out of the way to get to him. My dad would be right there with him. My dad had a habit, he’d wipe his mouth, yeah, we made it we did it.”

To many, this may look like a father and son journey, but it is so much more than that.

"I see how he acts inside and outside athletics, see what he does as a person, and I just really want to replicate myself to be just like him," Torrez Jr. said. “It’s the Torrez team it’s not just the two. Having a foundation like my family behind me is the best foundation I could ever have.”

It’s a chance to remind the world that he’s carrying on the Torrez name.

Alaska, of all places, has an Olympic champion at the pool.

Seventeen-year-old Lydia Jacoby gave the United States a victory in the women's 100-meter breaststroke, knocking off teammate and defending champion Lilly King on Tuesday.

Jacoby was the first swimmer from the Arctic state ever to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team.

Now, she's heading back to giddy Anchorage with a gold medal, rallying to win in 1 minute, 4.95 seconds..

South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker claimed the silver in 1:05.22, while King gave the Americans another medal by taking the bronze in 1:05.54.

Jacoby's stunning win salvaged what had been a disappointing morning for the American team. The U.S. had only managed a pair of bronze medals before the high schooler came through.

Jacoby was only third at the turn, trailing Schoenmaker and King. But, with her head bobbing furiously out of the water, the teenager surged past King and glided past the South African on the final two strokes to touch first.

Looking at the scoreboard with a bit of disbelief, the enormity of her accomplishment finally hit when Schoenmaker reached across the lane rope for a hug. Then it was King bounding over from two lanes away to congratulate America's new breaststroke queen.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

On the men's side, the U.S. team lost a backstroke race at the Olympics for the first time since 1992.

Russia swept the top two spots in the 100-meter back Tuesday, with Evgeny Rylov claiming the gold medal in 51.98 and teammate Kliment Kolesnikov taking the silver in 52.00.

Defending Olympic champion Ryan Murphy settled for the bronze in 52.19.

It was the first backstroke defeat for the U.S. men at the Olympics since the Barcelona Games. They won 12 straight golds at the last six Olympics, including Murphy's sweep of the 100 and 200 back at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It was a good morning for Australia and Britain.

World record-holder Kaylee McKeown gave the Aussie women another gold medal with a victory in the women's 100 backstroke, setting an Olympic record.

Her winning time of 57.47 was just off the world mark she set this year of 57.45. The silver went to Canada's Kylie Masse in 57.72, while former world record-holder Regan Smith of the United States grabbed the bronze at 58.05.

Coming into the Olympics, Australia had not won an individual women's title since 2008. Now they have two, with McKeown's gold coming after Ariarne Titmus' victory Monday in the 400 freestyle.

Britain went 1-2 in the men's 200 freestyle. Tom Dean captured the gold in 1 minute, 44.22 seconds, while teammate Duncan Scott picked up the silver in 1:44.26. The bronze went to Brazil's Fernando Scheffer at 1:44.66.

American Kieran Smith settled for a sixth-place showing after capturing a bronze in the 400 free.

Defending 200 free champion Sun Yang was banned from the Tokyo Olympics for a doping violation. He is serving a more than four-year ban, though he could be eligible to return for the 2024 Paris Games.

Titmus and Katie Ledecky both advanced to Wednesday's final of the 200-meter freestyle, setting up another showdown after their thrilling race in the 400 free.

Titmus was the top qualifier in the 200 semis at 1:54.82, while Ledecky -- the defending Olympic champion -- cruised to the third-best time in 1:55.34. The Aussie Terminator will be looking for her second straight gold after rallying to beat Ledecky in the 400 free.

3,000-year-old gold mask found

Updated: 11:22 PM EDT Mar 22, 2021

The remains of a gold mask are among a huge cache of 3,000-year-old artifacts found at an archaeological site in China's Sichuan province.Estimated to be made from 84% gold and weighing over half a pound, the ceremonial mask is one of more than 500 items found in the six newly discovered "sacrificial pits," according to the country's National Cultural Heritage Administration.The finds were made at Sanxingdui, a 4.6-square-mile area outside the provincial capital of Chengdu. Some experts believe the finds will shed light on the anchient Shu state, a kingdom that was conquered in 316 BC. In addition to the gold mask, archaeologists also found bronzes, gold foils and artifacts made from ivory, jade and bone. More than 50,000 ancient artifacts have been found at Sanxingdui since the 1920s, when a local farmer accidentally came upon a number of relics at the site. Experts believe the pits were used for sacrificial purposes, explaining why many of the items contained were ritually burned as they were dropped in and buried.

In February 2020, Elle Purrier was on top of the track world. “The Millrose Mile, when I broke the American Record was a huge stepping stone. A turning point in my career. And then after that the whole world just kind of stopped,” Purrier said.When the Tokyo Olympics were postponed, Purrier seemed to be on the path all Olympic hopefuls aspire to – peaking ahead of the trials. However, one record was no peak.“Honestly, I feel like it is just kind of better, I feel like a much better athlete now. I have a whole year of training and mileage under my belt,” Purrier said.In the extra time, Purrier added the 2-mile indoor American record to her resume, as well as the world’s best 1500-meter time this season. However, the accolades here in the United States are not what she’s locked in on. “Medaling in the Olympics would be the ultimate goal. I really think I can do it if It’s the right day and the right race,” Purrier said.Growing up on a Vermont dairy farm, a young Purrier didn’t always talk about Olympic medals. “I feel like as a young kid I didn’t ever think that I would be a runner, especially at this level. It’s kind of funny to think back to that. Honestly, I am still getting used to this ‘Elle’ the confidence has come over a long period of time,” Purrier said. Purrier accredits her newfound confidence to physical and mental toughness, as well as staying in her own lane. “I have had a different path to get to where I am as compared to all the people that I am competing against, so me not comparing myself to them,” Purrier said.She’s confident, yet grounded. With hopes to truly experience her Olympic moment.“It would be the ultimate goal to represent my country, and I hope I can really enjoy those moments, if I make it there, you know, just really be there,” Purrier said.A place that only a small percentage of people can say they have ever been.

'Amazingly emotional experience': 1964 Olympic gold medalist recounts his race in Tokyo Games

Updated: 7:33 AM EDT May 25, 2021

NBC5 Sportsdesk Anchor/Reporter

The Summer Olympics are fast approaching. The games are returning to Tokyo for the first time since 1964. Jed Graef from Vermont won a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke in the 1964 Olympics. Despite the games taking place 57 years ago, Graef remembers every moment, and movement, from his race for gold. "I had probably my best start, I was gone with the gun...that was pretty much the race right there on the start," Graef said. On just the third day of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Graef, an American swimmer, made history."It was actually harder to make the team than to make the finals in Tokyo just because we were so dominant," Graef said.Proven by a final touch of the pad, and a look up at the leaderboard. "I saw next to my name, I saw a ‘1’ and an ‘NW’ for ‘New World Record,’" Graef said.A world record, meant a gold medal – followed by a USA sweep of the 200-meter Backstroke. Graef defeated Silver Medalist Gary Dilley by two-tenths of a second."Now two-tenths is about 'tap tap,' I had noticed after we started training together out in Palo Alto after the Olympic trials, whenever he did a start on the go, he would pull himself up and the go on the release. He was giving away time on that, I sort of felt mildly guilty over the years that I didn’t tell him about it, I mean it was a glaring flaw," Graef said.Divided in the pool by lanes, unified on the podium by the flag., the two were joined by American teammate and Bronze Medalist Bob Bennett. "That was right after the race, this is the three of us," Graef said. "An amazingly emotional experience standing there for that ceremony."Once Graef was etched into Olympic history in his lone event, to him, the more meaningful part began."To me the fondest memory is living in the Olympic Village, that was the height of the Cold War, but you got 5,000 athletes from all over the world, nobody cares about politics," Graef said.The world was a lot different then. Yet the advice Graef gives to gold medal hopefuls still rings true."It’s really just a matter of maintaining that focus and not getting distracted," Graef said.