Jamaica’s McLeod on track for Rio greatness

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaican star Omar McLeod qualified for his first Olympic Games on Saturday after winning the men’s 110m hurdles on the third day of the Jamaican Olympic track and field trials.

The 22-year-old McLeod clocked a 13.01 seconds at the National Stadium track. That was the second fastest time in the world in 2016.

McLeod, the IAAF World Indoor 60m champion, now owns the top-five fastest times in the world this year, and pleged to go even faster when he gets to the Rio Summer Games which begin August 5.

“We are working on the last part of the race,” he said. “It’s coming along and I am very impressed with how I am finishing.

“I am feeling really strong coming off the sixth hurdle so we just need to go back to the drawing board and work on the start. When we put the two parts together, greatness awaits.”

Deuce Carter was second and also qualified for the Olympics while Commonwealth Games champion Andrew Riley was third but could miss out on the trip to Rio as he is yet to reach the qualifying mark.

World number three Hansle Parchment, who missed the championships with an injury, could take the third spot if he can prove his fitness.

Meanwhile, a scintillating final day beckons with both the men’s and women’s 200m final and the women’s 400m.

Yohan Blake and Elaine Thompson, the 100m champions on Friday, are both on course for the sprint doubles.

Blake won his 200m semi-final in a season’s best 20.29 seconds, beating Everton Clarke (20.45) and Rasheed Dwyer (20.46).