byLarry EderOmar McLeod is the World Indoor 2016, Olympic and World Outdoor Champion 2017 in the 110m and 60m hurdles.
Omar McLeod, Pre Classic 2017 , photo by PhotoRun.net
The Jamaican star has great speed and excellent hurdle technique. His rhythm is amazing over the hurdles. With the 110m hurdles and 60m hurdles being one of our most competitive events in all of athletics, Omar McLeod has to be on all of the time. His racing focus, his sense of humor in pressers, and his love of the sport are obvious.
Omar McLeod, Lausanne 2016, photo by PhotoRun.net
Omar is racing at the Millrose Games this weekend. We look forward to see his racing!
Here’s a short interview with Omar McLeod, thanks to Media Manager Nick Nicholas of the NYRR Millrose Games with our esteemed hurdler.
The 111th NYRR Millrose Games can be seen on USATF.TV from 11:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturday and will be televised live by NBC from 4-6 p.m. There also is the USATF Cool Down show beginning at 6 p.m.
Go to NYRRMillroseGames.org to learn more about the NYRR Millrose Games and to purchase tickets to the Saturday, February 3, 2018meet.
To read the interview, please look below!
1. Are you and Asafa friends?
Omar McLeod: “Yeah, we’re friends. We’re pretty cool when we see each other. “
2. Omar, you switched from the hurdles to the 60m dash. Coming to the 60m, this is exciting for you.
Omar McLeod: “Yes, this year is a bit of an experiment year. It’s an off-year so I definitely want to branch off and see where my time lies in regards to sprinting. I’m really excited about tomorrow and racing this man beside me (Asafa Powell, sitting to his right).”
3. There is a vacancy in the 4×100 for Jamaica. Are you looking at that … the anchor leg?
Omar McLeod: “The anchor leg? Eh, put me at the start. We’ll have a lot of guys who can fill that mantle.”
4. Asafa is pretty quick out of the blocks.
Omar McLeod: “Asafa is a monster out of the blocks actually.”
5. How are you going to beat him (Asafa)?
Omar McLeod: “His starts are great and that’s going to have to be my key point, just to get out and try to stay with him. I have to execute my race to the best of my ability. My training is going great. I’m in great shape and I’m learning a lot about the sprint event. I didn’t know it was this technical. I thought hurdles were technical but sprinting is just as technical. There are a lot of things to learn: the drive phase, transition. I told my coach, ‘This is crazy.’ I thought it was just literally going in the blocks and run. That’s not the case. There is a lot to learn. I’m really excited about this event.
