Jamaica’s super sprint hurdler

Omar McLeod one of the best

BY PAUL BURROWES

Twenty-one-year Omar McLeod seems set to become the first Jamaican sprint hurdler to take the podium at the IAAF World Championships.
After 14 stagings of the world championships, the Americans have dominated the 110m hurdles with 21 medals (including nine gold), ahead of Great Britain with eight medals (two gold).
Allen Johnson was outstanding in this sprint, winning four times (1995, 1997, 2001, 2003). His American compatriot Greg Foster won in 1983, 1987, and 1991, the first three editions of the World Championships.
Jamaicans have reached the finals of this event at every championships since 2005, thanks to Maurice Wignall, Dwight Thomas and Andrew Riley.
In 2015 that record is likely to continue with McLeod, the world-leading hurdler this year who has opted to go pro and give up his NCAA eligibility.
The Manchester High and Kingston College past student, who set national junior records in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles in 2013, will still continue his academics at the University of Arkansas.
McLeod, who won the NCAA Division One indoor 60m hurdles and outdoor 110m  hurdles title this year, ran a personal best and world-leading 12.97 seconds at the National Senior Championship last Saturday.
He has excelled in short order, moving from 87 in the world in 2013, 40 last year, to number one based on times.
It is time that a Jamaican collects a medal at the World Championships in the sprint hurdles, joining Barbados, Cuba and Haiti as Caribbean countries to make their presence felt at major championships.
McLeod will definitely need a few more races under his belt, in the United States preferably and one in Madrid on July 11 before returning home to get ready for the big event in China on August 22-30.
He should try to avoid the big guns next month, especially the Diamond League races.