Olympic gold medalist Omar McLeod on Saturday set a Jamaican national record in the 110m hurdles with a blistering time of 12.9 seconds at the 2017 Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association National Senior Championships.
McLeod said he is dedicating the next few weeks to setting is sights on Aries Merritt’s world record of 12.80 seconds which he hopes to break before the London World Championships in August.
“I did not get it, so I am going after it next time,” said McLeod, who has races in Paris and Budapest meets before traveling to London.
Photo: Reuters
McLeod’s time eclipsed the previous Jamaican record of 12.94 seconds set by Hansle Parchment in 2014 in Paris.
McLeod has been having a fantastic last two seasons where he won the World Indoors 60m and Olympic Games gold medals five months apart. He also shaved .07 seconds off his previous personal best time.
“It was a great race,” said McLeod, who credits his new coach Edrick Floreal with rekindling his enthusiasm for the sport.
“The coach wanted a 12.8 and I know he will be a little upset, but I can tell him I set a national record of 12.9 and am now the fifth fastest man in history,” McLeod said.
McLeod now has the top four times in the world so far this year and lowered his previous career best of 13.01 seconds. He is tied for fifth best all time with US’ Dominique Arnold and trails only Merritt, Cuba’s Dayron Robles, China’s Liu Xiang and US’ David Oliver.
The sky is the limit for McLeod who is seeking to make up for his disappointing 2015 World Championships in Beijing where he finished sixth.
“I am just really excited about what is to come. A new coach made me fall in love with hurdles again so it is a good thing,” he said.
Ronald Levy, the second fastest in the world so far, was second in 13.13 seconds while Parchment, running with an injury, took third place in 13.19 seconds.
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Discus thrower Fedric Dacres retained his Jamaican title with 66.52m toss, while London Olympian Traves Smikle was second with 63.26m.
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